I didn't plan to replace Newman: Ngo

(AAP) - Phuong Ngo has told the Sydney inquiry into his murder conviction he was not angling to replace the NSW politician whose assassination he organised, despite talking about his plans for the seat in a television interview.

Ngo, a former Fairfield City councillor, is serving a life term after being
convicted in 2001 of ordering the murder of NSW MP John Newman, who was gunned down
outside his Sydney home in 1994.
At the judicial review hearing on Monday, Donna Woodburne, SC, for the Director of
Public Prosecutions, asked Ngo if he had been interested in replacing Mr Newman as a
candidate for Cabramatta after he was killed.
When it was put to him that he would have at least given it some "serious
consideration", Ngo said: "No, I don't agree with that ... I still believe that the
electorate is not ready to have an Asian person represent it."
Ngo was then played never-before-seen footage of an ABC television interview he did
24 hours after Mr Newman's death in which he talks about his discussions with "head
office" about his possible candidacy.
"Do you have any reservations about running?" the journalist is heard to ask.
"As I said, after all I have seen and heard today ... I feel so strongly that I must
be out there, live in the world, encouraging the community to stand up and fight
against this negativity, to rebuild the self-esteem of the local community," Ngo
replies.
Ms Woodburne then put it to Ngo that he had "simply lied" about his professional
ambitions during his trial, but Ngo still denied there had been any discussion about
the possibility.
"If I was asked, or if there was any discussion with me about that possibility I
would remember, but I don't," he said.
Earlier, Ngo was confronted with evidence contradicting his claim to have no
knowledge of the manslaughter conviction of one of his employees.
Counsel assisting the inquiry, Andrew Colefax, SC, asked Ngo if he knew his former
employee, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was convicted of manslaughter and
nine armed robberies as a juvenile.
"No, I did not know, not until today," Ngo told the court.
Mr Colefax then read a personal reference for the former employee that was signed by
Ngo in 1995.
The reference, in support of the man's Australian citizenship application, was
written on Fairfield City Council stationery.
"It is my understanding that he had committed manslaughter while he was a juvenile
and that he had served time in a juvenile detention centre to repay his debt to
society," it stated.
"I've known (the man) for more than two years and during that time I have had many
opportunities to discuss with him his life and his future.
"He has always been very remorseful of the bad deeds that he has done and has sought
particularly to atone for it."
Ngo then apologised for answering Mr Colefax's question about the former barman
incorrectly, saying he had forgotten all about the letter and the convictions.
"I wish to apologise to the court for the answer I gave because it was totally,
totally, completely erased from my mind," Ngo said, adding his secretary must have
prepared the letter.
"I must have read it, and I take responsibility for it.
"But to say that I knew it and deliberately gave a wrong answer is not correct
because I just did not remember at the time that you asked me."
Ngo told Mr Colefax that he had prepared many similar references for people over the
years.
The inquiry continues.