Jean-Claude Perrottet - brother of former NSW premier Dominic Perrottet - also admitted before a corruption inquiry on Wednesday he had worked to recruit new Liberal members while on a taxpayer-funded salary.
The NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption is investigating alleged illicit political donations and branch-stacking spearheaded by the Reformers, a conservative Christian faction among state Liberals.
The now 29-year-old was approached by Reformers co-founders Christian Ellis and Robert Assaf in 2018 and asked if he wanted to join them, the inquiry was told.
With the help of Jean-Claude Perrottet, the Reformers organised events around issues intended to attract like-minded people to the Liberal Party, including abortion, euthanasia, religious freedom and government-mandated vaccinations.
In a text message exchange with Mr Ellis in 2018, the pair discussed which branches they wanted to stack with new members.
Part of the Reformer's strategy was to sign new members to specific branches over which they wanted to get control.
"You're strategically placing your new conservative recruits into particular branches where you need the numbers to take control for the right faction," Ms Curtin said.
"Yes", Mr Perrotet replied.
Until early 2019, he was also working as a staffer for then Liberal minister Damien Tudehope.
Mr Perrottet admitted he would spend a portion of his work hours doing recruitment and renewal tasks for the Reformers.
It was a breach of the code of conduct for taxpayer-funded staffers to undertake recruiting and renewal work during working hours, the inquiry was told.
Mr Perrottet told the inquiry he did not know whether Mr Tudehope was aware he was doing Reformers work during office hours.
When asked whether he had known it was against the rules, Mr Perrottet described it as "frowned upon".
"I probably would have been aware in some notion that ... you shouldn't do factional work during office hours," he said.
In late 2019 after Mr Perrottet left Mr Tudehope's office, another Reformer, Jeremy Greenwood messaged Mr Ellis stating: "Claude either needs a Valium or a break from the faction work".
"Does the turn of phrase suggest that …. you were, let's put it this way, bordering on obsessive about this factional work," Ms Curtin asked.
"I like doing a good job. When there's something to be done, I like to do it well. Whether you use obsession or another word," Mr Perrottet said.
Ms Curtin suggested the less derogatory term, "passionate", with which he agreed.
Mr Perrottet agreed the group wanted to increase Christian policy in government by influencing pre-selections.
"If the Reformers were able to influence pre-selections, they might then be a good chance of influencing policy outcomes down the line," Ms Curtin suggested.
"If someone who's aligned on the policy was able to become a member of parliament, they would be aligned on the policy," he replied.
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