In fact the Labor MP made a report to the ICAC after Mr Tinkler allegedly offered to give money to her 2011 election campaign in an attempt to gain support for his plans for a coal loader.
The evidence was given as part of the ICAC's latest inquiry, Operation Spicer, which opened on Monday.
Investigative reporter for the Sydney Morning Herald, Kate McClymont, says Ms McKay "wouldn't have a bar" of the donations.
"Former Labor MP Jodi McKay was actually held up as a beacon of ethical behaviour," she told 1233 ABC Newcastle's Paul Turton.
"There was interesting evidence given that Tinkler had tried to give her money in order for her to support his plans to build a coal loader at Mayfield but Jodi McKay wouldn't have a bar of this.
"So that's when it seems the Tinkler group turned to the Liberals.
"We've heard that Nathan Tinkler, through his company Buildev, gave about $66,000."
Kate says there was an "extraordinary amount" of money being given to the Liberal Party that wasn't properly disclosed.
"And in fact we've seen that developers, who are banned from donating, have been really rather crafty," she says.
"In some cases we've heard they got favourable decisions as a result of their donations, I mean why would they donate otherwise?"
It's claimed that a company run by a former staffer of Liberal Minister Chris Hartcher used fake invoices for media services and crisis management to allow developers to make donations.
"So it was a rather elaborate scheme in which to funnel donations from prohibited donors," Kate says.
She says when the ICAC "came sniffing around" there were some "hilarious emails" between Tinkler and his associates.
In one, he asks "Who is ICAC?" and when told, responds "Oh mate u r f...ing kidding me".
The inquiry has already seen heads roll in the Liberal Party, with chief fundraiser Paul Nicolaou and Chris Hartcher resigning, and three MPs including Marie Ficarra agreeing to move to the crossbenches.
Kate says the banned donations seem to have been quite widespread.
"There wasn't just one slush fund set up by the Libs, we've got two or three," she says.
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