Training mine lacked cred, inquiry told A seasoned government spin doctor has told a corruption inquiry he thought a training mine in the NSW Hunter Valley had as much credibility as scientific whaling. The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) is probing a coal exploration licence at Doyles Creek in the Hunter Valley granted by then mining minister Ian Macdonald to former CFMEU boss John Maitland and his associates in December 2008. The inquiry had previously heard Mr Maitland proposed a training mine at the site that would address skills shortages and be propped up by a commercial mine. But on Monday, Alex Cramb, who was communications director for former Labor premier Nathan Rees, told the inquiry he had "deep-seated cynicism" about the proposal, which was by 2011 allegedly worth nearly $15 million to Mr Maitland. When a staffer for Mr Macdonald sent Mr Cramb a media release spruiking the training mine two days before Christmas 2008, he wrote back asking: "Is this like scientific research on whales?" "To be honest, it was a default position that no journalist would believe any heading placed on any press release written by that government at that time," Mr Cramb said on Monday. It was a highly-charged environment, and to say that the government was under siege is probably not an overexaggeration. Earlier on Monday, a mining lobbyist told the commission she herself was lobbied morning and night by Mr Macdonald to support the proposal. Former NSW Minerals Council chief executive Nicole Williams said in 2008 Mr Macdonald called her at home, "at 7.30 in the morning as well as on Sunday evening," urging public support for the training mine. "Reversal of role is a good description," Dr Williams said. She told the inquiry the only project Mr Macdonald had as much enthusiasm for was an idea to send the Sydney Symphony Orchestra to the bush. Mr Macdonald's barrister Tim Hale told the commission he had only "asked the Minerals Council to consider" the Doyles Creek proposal. It was around this time that Mr Maitland was putting the hard sell on local residents in the Hunter, the commission heard. Grazier Ian Moore told the inquiry that the unionist had promised to lavish investment on nearby Jerrys Plains, including a supermarket, housing and better medical facilities, if his plan came through. "He was like the ice-cream truck, he come to offer all these goodies to Jerrys Plains," Mr Moore said. But Mr Maitland also told a June 2008 community meeting that resistance to the mine wouldn't succeed, the inquiry heard. It's expected that Federal Labor minister Greg Combet will be among witnesses to appear before Commissioner David Ipp next week. Mr Macdonald himself is yet to front Operation Acacia - the investigation into the granting of the Doyles Creek licence.