Convinced by Ian Macdonald, the man with a reptile smile Former NSW Labor minister Ian Macdonald / Pic: Adam Taylor Source: The Daily Telegraph WITH A flash of former minister Ian Macdonald's "reptilian smile" came the beginnings of a mining deal that would end up under ICAC's microscope, the corruption inquiry heard yesterday. Kerry Hickey, who was resources minister before Mr Macdonald took over the portfolio, told the corruption inquiry yesterday that he'd had talks with his successor about a possible training mine in the Hunter Valley. It was the same idea which has ended up in the hands of ICAC, who are investigating why Mr Macdonald granted the "hot property" licence to a small group of investors in late 2008. Mr Hickey said he remembered being asked for a letter of support for the training mine idea after talks with Mr Macdonald. "He was kneeling down putting books or folders into a ministerial briefcase," Mr Hickey said. He looked up, he asked me if I supported a training mine (and) I said, 'Yes, I do, which I always have' - and he then asked me if I would write a reference for the training mine and I said yes. I added the information that it's going to be hard to get it through the (primary industries) department because I've already tried that. And he gave me that reptilian smile and told me to let him worry about that, he's the minister. Mr Hickey told the inquiry he didn't discuss the idea with Mr Macdonald again. The inquiry has been told the investors, including Mr Macdonald's friend and former union heavyweight John Maitland, turned small investments into multi-million dollar "gold mines." Mr Hickey said it appeared Mr Maitland was involved in the affairs of the former state government, and was "regularly" seen walking the corridors of Parliament House. Did you have an impression of his relationship with Mr Macdonald? Peter Braham SC, the counsel assisting the inquiry, asked. "Look I knew they were tight, but I just didn't know how tight," Mr Hickey said. While Mr Hickey wrote a letter of support of a training mine, he revealed yesterday he'd been left in the dark about the size of the resource awarded to Doyles Creek. He agreed he hadn't been told the training mine idea was connected to "a large commercial mine" or that less than 1 per cent of its expected revenue would be spent on training. If someone had told you any of these things, would you have written the letter? "No," he replied. He said he believed he'd been asked to write the support note because Mr Macdonald needed "to push it through the department" - which had raised concerns about the idea.