Suspended NSW Liberal MP Marie Ficarra has been accused of lying to a corruption inquiry after she claimed she was busy on the day she allegedly solicited an illegal $5000 donation from a property developer because her miniature schnauzer ''almost died''.

Ms Ficarra told the Independent Commission Against Corruption on Thursday that she had a ''short cup of coffee'' with prominent developer Tony Merhi in the days before the March 2011 state election but she did not ask him to donate to a secret slush fund linked to her colleague Chris Hartcher.

Former energy minister Chris Hartcher. Credit:Louise Kennerley

She said it was ''out of the question'' because property developers were banned from making political donations and Mr Merhi ''knew the rules, he'd been a developer for years and years and years''.

In evidence that provoked laughter at times from lawyers in the hearing room, Ms Ficarra said the pre-election ''catch-up'' at Cafe Saligna in the Cumberland State Forest was brief because she had to pick up her miniature schnauzer, Leisl, from the vet at Sylvania.