Training mine a political hot potato, ICAC hears Former NSW premier Nathan Rees. Ian Macdonald has admitted running up more than $800 in food bills at Eddie Obeid's expense. THE revolving door of Labor politicians fronting the corruption inquiry will continue today with former Premier Nathan Rees due to give evidence for the second time about disgraced minister Ian Macdonald. Mr Rees is the first in a line of Labor figures, both state and federal, to be called before ICAC this week as it continues its investigation into Mr Macdonald's granting of a mining licence to a group of investors including former union boss John Maitland. Senator Doug Cameron and state MP Luke Foley will be called in the next two days, with federal Transport Minister Anthony Albanese and Climate Change Minister Greg Combet also scheduled for stints in the stand. There are no allegations of wrongdoing against any of the Labor figures. Senator Cameron was the national secretary of the Australian Metal Workers Union, the biggest union affiliated with the hard left faction of the party alongside Mr Macdonald, at the time of the controversial deal. Mr Macdonald is facing allegations he received "an improper favour or benefit" from Mr Maitland, the former national president of the CMFEU, after granting the licence to Doyles Creek Mining in late 2008 without a competitive tender - against the advice of his department. It was Mr Rees who dumped Mr Macdonald from the resources portfolio, before he lost his premiership to Kristina Keneally in December 2009 and she reinstated Mr Macdonald to cabinet. ICAC heard yesterday Mr Macdonald and Mr Maitland dined with others at Sydney restaurants Est and Prime in early 2007, with the training mine discussed on at least one occasion. Sue-Ern Tan, a former staffer in Mr Macdonald's department, told the inquiry her boss should have consulted with advisory councils about "the viability or desirability of the training mine (proposal) " before granting the licence. "He should have got advice from either or both of these entities," Ms Tan said. She also agreed Mr Macdonald was "applying pressure" about the training mine on one of those bodies, the NSW Minerals Council, but the group didn't support it and saw the idea as "a political hot potato." "It's a hot potato because (for them) you're acting contrary to what the minister is asking you to do," she said. The inquiry was told Mr Macdonald and Mr Maitland had "friendly" conversations and called each-other "mate." An email Ms Tan sent when she left her job in the minister's office was tendered yesterday, showing her thanking her colleagues for the "zany, madcap and wacky memories" at "Team Macca." Mr Rees told last year's corruption inquiry, concerning Mr Macdonald's granting of a mining tenement "smack bang" on top of the Obeid family farm, that he sacked the resources minister "because he no longer enjoyed my confidence."