The head of communications under the former Rees government in NSW likened a training mine announced in 2008 by the former resources minister Ian Macdonald to whalers claiming their activities are simply "scientific research".

Alex Cramb, a seasoned political adviser and now employee of Government Relations Australia, told a corruption inquiry on Monday he had "deep-seated cynicism over some of the announcements made from Mr Macdonald's office".

Difficult days: Head of communications for the former Rees government Alex Cramb said internal politics were all anybody was interested in in 2008. Credit:Edwina Pickles

"What was most notable was there was practically no mention of any of the commercial aspects of that mine in this release," Mr Cramb told the Independent Commission Against Corruption.

The commission is investigating the circumstances of the announcement, which was made on Christmas Eve 2008, and which Mr Cramb agreed had "some of the hallmarks of taking out the garbage".