Union chief John Maitland came spruiking mine like 'ice cream truck' Former CFMEU boss John Maitland came 'spruiking a prospective mine like an ice cream truck, ICAC has heard. Picture: Paul Burston Source: News Limited FORMER union boss John Maitland came "like the ice cream truck" to spruik his plan for a mine in the NSW Hunter Valley to locals, a corruption inquiry has heard. The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) on Monday heard evidence from a farmer whose land is covered by an exploration licence now at the centre of ICAC's Operation Acacia. ICAC is examining whether ex-NSW mining minister Ian Macdonald conferred an improper benefit on Mr Maitland and other businessmen when he granted the licence at Doyles Creek in December 2008. Grazier Ian Moore told the inquiry he had lived on his property for more than half a century and was vehemently opposed to the establishment of a mine there. He said Mr Maitland had promised to lavish investment on nearby Jerrys Plains if his plan for a training mine at Doyles Creek, propped up by a commercial mine, came through. "He was like the ice cream truck, he came to offer all these goodies to Jerrys Plains," Mr Moore said. He testified that at an "aggro" community meeting in June 2008, the former CFMEU official promised a local supermarket, houses, a flight simulator, and a portion of the profits to the community. But Mr Maitland also warned that resistance to the mine wouldn't succeed, the inquiry heard. 'If you don't accept us, you'll get someone else but they'll be a hell of a lot worse than us.' That's what he said that night," Mr Moore said. Also on Monday, Commissioner David Ipp gave a hint of the course of action he may take if he determines that there was corruption involved in the granting of the Doyles Creek licence. He told counsel for NuCoal, which bought Doyles Creek Mining after the licence was granted, that he could recommend the government assess "the amount of money that would have to have been paid by a successful tenderer in an open tender with all the information, and then impose that on the mining lease." But there was no suggestion he would find that corrupt conduct had occurred, Mr Ipp said.