"Why don't I try and jog your memory by playing you another recording."
That's the phrase ACT CFMEU organiser John Lomax heard repeatedly as he faced the royal commission into trade union corruption in Sydney.
The former rugby league footballer gave evidence on Wednesday to explain his side of the story about allegations raised during three weeks of Canberra hearings in July.
Mr Lomax admitted to counsel assisting Jeremy Stoljar he heard rumours about corruption within the union's ranks, but they weren't pursued.
The commission already has heard evidence former organiser Halafihi "Fihi" Kivalu - who has since been charged with blackmail - pocketed thousands of dollars from companies in exchange for work.
Mr Lomax conceded he had heard allegations, but said they were about the organisation and branch more generally.
"I was quite embarrassed about that," he said.
He revealed the head of a cleaning company phoned him in July, while hearings were taking place in Canberra, to say he'd been asked to pay Mr Kivalu money.
Mr Lomax said Adrian Maretta told him he'd "been touched up by the big fella" - a phrase used by other people in the industry in relation to Mr Kivalu - and he urged him to go to the police.
The commission was played a phone call between the pair on April 10, 2015 in which the cleaner thanks Mr Lomax for helping him on an issue, saying: "Fihi would have hit me up for f***ing five grand by now".
Mr Lomax replied: "No, I'm not interested in that, bro".
Under questioning by Mr Stoljar he said he was "deeply shocked" by the claim, but then conceded he forgot about the conversation.
Instead he reported a second, later call to a superior.
Mr Lomax later told the commission he had no personal knowledge about the circumstances under which Mr Kivalu came to leave the union in November 2014.
He was on holidays in New Zealand at the time.
Mr Kivalu previously told the commission he resigned from his position due to personal reasons on November 10, but claimed to not know why he received a redundancy payment of $32,267 a day later.
Mr Lomax also denied he intimidated a police officer during a 2012 visit to a Fyshwick construction site during a concrete pour.
Detective Sergeant Mark Battye told the commission in July that Mr Lomax swiped an entry permit card close to his face and then tried to "snatch" it out of his hand.
But Mr Lomax took offence when the claim was put to him by Mr Stoljar, saying he had the upmost respect for the police.
"I worked with police back in New Zealand, I coached the New Zealand police rugby league team," he said.
The CFMEU branch secretary Dean Hall and the union's construction and general national secretary Dave Noonan watched on as Mr Lomax gave evidence.
The hearing continues.
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