The wife of Sydney underworld figure George Alex has claimed she had no knowledge of a payment she was allegedly instructed to make to a union official.
Nectaria Alex, who is separated from Mr Alex, said a text message from Mr Alex's phone to give $2500 to "Darren" could have been sent from a number of other people who used the mobile phone as an "office phone".
Mrs Alex and her sister-in-law Athina Alex were half an hour late for their scheduled appearance before the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption on Tuesday, prompting commissioner Dyson Heydon to issue warrants for their apprehension shortly before they finally arrived.
The solicitor acting for both women, John Hajje, explained that they had been caught in traffic.
A series of text messages sent from Mr Alex's phone to his wife includes one, tendered as evidence, which says: "1k to wisam 2500 to Darren give Michael Couts 1000 keep 500."
When Mrs Alex took the stand at 10.30am, she said the message made no sense to her because she did not handle money. She said she did not know of anyone named Wisam.
"This message, whoever gave it to me, makes no sense because I have never taken money and given money to anybody, so whatever direction that was it makes no sense. I have no recollection of it because it never happened," Mrs Alex said.
"I can't confirm who was texting who. I just know that that phone was an office mobile for anybody, so that's my understanding of how that phone worked."
Senior counsel assisting, Sarah McNaughton said: "You've been told by Mr Alex to make that quite clear to this commission haven't you?"
"Like I said that was an office phone," Mrs Alex said.
Ms McNaughton then asked Mrs Alex whether a message she sent to the same phone saying, "your girlfriend can wait. Sort out your shit at home first ..." was directed at Mr Alex.
She said the message was sent within minutes of a message from Mr Alex's phone about business instructions.
"What I'm trying to establish, madam, is that the user of the phone communicating with your phone is George Alex around about that time," Ms McNaughton said.
Mrs Alex said "a lot could have happened" in between the various text messages.
Ms McNaughton tendered a series of additional text messages as evidence that were kept confidential because of their personal nature.
Asked if she put any payments in a drawer under the toilet sink, Mrs Alex, who still lives in the same house with Mr Alex, said this was "absurd".
"Nothing ever went to a drawer," she said.
Mr Alex's sister, Athina, was asked about a cheque for $5000 that was originally made out to the CFMEU before this was crossed out and replaced with the word "cash".
Ms Alex said she could not recall whether she cashed the cheque or what the money was used to pay.
The royal commission has heard allegations that a weekly payment of $2500 was made by labour hire companies associated with Mr Alex to the CFMEU.
Asked about the text message sent from his phone to his wife about the $2500 payment to Darren, Mr Alex said it did not mean the payment was for Darren Greenfield.
"I'm going to say this again and I'll continue to say it, that Darren Greenfield or no other union official has ever taken money off me or any of my associates and they never will. It weakens the relationship. There's no benefit," Mr Alex said.
Mr Greenfield has denied receiving $2500 from Mr Alex and Mr Alex said the Darren referred to in the text message was not Darren Greenfield, but another person called Tony.
Mr Alex said he did not send the text message and others, saying they could have been sent by Joe Antoun or his former business associate, Doug Westerway. Mr Antoun, a former business partner of Mr Alex, was murdered in late 2013.
When senior counsel assisting Sarah McNaughton said: "Are you trying to distance yourself from the discomfort of these messages being sent from you and are blaming Mr Antoun?", Mr Alex said, "No not at all. Absolutely not."
