The head of the NSW corruption watchdog has defended the besieged investigative body, saying she doesn't believe ICAC's pursuit of crown prosecutor Margaret Cunneen has damaged its reputation.
ICAC Commissioner Megan Latham has also argued that the inspector charged with examining that investigation held a bias towards her.
The bitter public feud between the pair began after ICAC Inspector David Levine last December released a damning report on the Cunneen investigation, which he described as "unjust" and "oppressive".
Operation Hale - which centred on allegations Ms Cunneen told her son's girlfriend to fake chest pains to avoid a breath test - was a debacle, Mr Levine told a parliamentary inquiry examining his report.
But Ms Latham hit back at his assessment on Friday, saying the commission was denied procedural fairness by the inspector.
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"The inspector does not refute it," she told the parliamentary committee.
"In fact, he reinforced that denial in the course of his evidence."
When asked about her relationship with Mr Levine, Ms Latham said she held no antagonism towards the inspector but "it seems to be the other way (with him)".
"I don't understand what the problem is. I've never had it explained to me why he considers I'm sullenly resentful or why he thinks the relationship is acrimonious," she said.
The apparent war between Ms Latham and her ex-colleague at the NSW DPP, Ms Cunneen, was also a misguided perception, the commissioner said.
"And I had had absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with Ms Cunneen professionally since 1994," Ms Latham said.
ICAC was forced to abandon its investigation after the High Court ruled it was beyond the agency's jurisdiction.
Ms Cunneen has consistently denied the allegations.
Ms Latham said ICAC was content it had followed the correct procedures.
She also rejected claims Operation Hale had diminished the credibility or reputation of the state's high-profile investigative body.
"But in some quarters there may be some who think ICAC has lost some standing," she said.
ICAC benefited from "consistent and regular oversight", she added.
Mr Levine, who muttered to himself while Ms Latham gave her evidence in NSW Parliament on Friday, told AAP he entirely rejected her suggestion that he has no "professional respect" for her.
