Former Australian of the Year finalist Eman Sharobeem purchased $12,500 worth of gifts for government ministers and her staff, using money from a not-for-profit organisation in Sydney's West, a corruption inquiry has heard.

The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) is investigating allegations Ms Sharobeem corruptly obtained hundreds of thousands of dollars when she was in charge of two non-profit community groups set up to help disadvantaged migrant women.

During that time Ms Sharobeem claimed she purchased jewellery for the NSW Family and Community Services Minister Pru Goward and Finance Minister Victor Dominello.

"In public they used to receive a present from us," Ms Sharobeem said.

"I recall two gifts went to Minister Goward, I recall that one gift was bigger in amount than another.

"I also remember that we got a present for Minister [Michaela] Cash and Mayor [Frank] Carbone, Minister Marise Payne as well."

No evidence was presented before the commission corroborating Ms Sharobeem's claim that she purchased the items for the politicians she named.

The ABC contacted Ms Goward's office for comment and she said: "My recollection is that the gifts were of a token kind and under the disclosure threshold."

Ms Cash's office said "under no circumstances has Minister Cash accepted a gift from Ms Sharobeem".

A spokesman for Ms Payne also denied any gifts had been received from Ms Sharobeem, labelling any such claim as "completely false".

When counsel assisting the commission Ramesh Rajalingam asked Ms Sharobeem to describe the presents she purchased, she answered "jewellery, perfumes ... things like that".

"What present did you give Mr Dominello?" counsel assisting asked.

Ms Sharobeem replied: "A watch sometimes. A tie and a watch."

She claimed the gifts cost her between $350 and $400.

I checked with management, Sharobeem claims

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The inquiry also heard Ms Sharobeem give evidence about gifts that were allegedly purchased with not-for-profit funds for other members of the organisation where she worked.

Counsel assisting: What were you purchasing for $900 from a jewellery shop that was relevant to the Immigrant Women's Health Service? Ms Sharobeem: I bought all our jewellery for all our presents from there. Even for the committee. Counsel assisting: Did you think it was appropriate to spend that amount of money on jewellery for ministers in your capacity as a chief executive officer of the service? Ms Sharobeem: It wasn’t my only decision. It was a collective decision. I checked with management.

During a sometimes volatile exchange, Ms Sharobeem appeared angry with the line of questioning.

"Who do you think I am? A rich person?" she said.

"I have loans. I have debts. I can't pay my lawyers. My God. You have the wrong person, I told you.

"I need to keep calm. I'm dying by the minute."

'I am the speaker of truth'

The commission also heard that over five years, Ms Sharobeem spent $26,945 at the Parramatta based jeweller Eternity, and was reimbursed by the Immigrant Women's Health Service.

There was evidence given she was paid for $14,580 for purchases made at Andrew's Designer Jeweller at Parramatta.

Ms Sharobeem denied cutting the tops off receipts so that it was difficult to trace the vendor, or making multiple smaller payments to pay for expensive jewellery items.

"I didn't submit them," she said. "All that I used to do was empty my bag in full and leave it on my desk and the direction is very clear — please separate between the personal and work.

"No stupid person would put jewellery on the account of the organisation and ask the organisation to pay for it."

Ms Sharobeem also denied submitting receipts for the reimbursement of $975 that she paid to receive Botox in July 2014.

"It's my personal expenditure with my personal credit card. Why is it being reimbursed to me?" she said.

"I am a speaker of the truth."

Acting commissioner, the Honourable Reginald Blanch, asked Ms Sharobeem if she ever paused to reflect on all the money flowing into her personal account from the not-for-profit group.

Ms Sharobeem replied she did not check her account often enough for that to occur.

The hearing continues.