Ghosts of inquiries past have stalked Parliament's corridors over summer, unable to rest. Almost two years ago, ICAC's twin inquiries Operation Spicer and Credo spectacularly led to the resignation of 10 sitting Liberal MPs over illegal political donations.

An election has been fought and won in the interim, and donations duly disclosed. Laws have been changed. But former Liberal luminaries complain their names have been muddied.

Only the release of ICAC's report on these matters will offer closure.

As he wrangles a Liberal Party bridling at the sometimes devastating impact ICAC can have on political careers, Premier Mike Baird surely remembers what handed the Liberals and Nationals government in 2011 after 16 years in the wilderness of opposition.

The public was sick of the stench of corruption and misconduct in NSW politics.

NSW will always need a strong ICAC. But some in the party appeared to have smelt blood after the body wound inflicted on ICAC by last April's High Court ruling, quashing ICAC's investigation into Crown prosecutor Margaret Cunneen.

Baird later affirmed ICAC's role with new laws, ensuring the political donations inquiry could continue, but ICAC's firepower was curbed to making "corrupt" findings only in cases of serious corruption.

ICAC itself was in the dock this week, as a NSW parliamentary committee prepared to question ICAC Commissioner Megan Latham about ICAC's pursuit of Cunneen.

Liberal MP Damien Tudehope, the committee chair, acknowledged ICAC has recently been the target of significant attack in the media. Political attack was anticipated.

But the hearing was immediately suspended after the politicians listened, confidentially, to a telephone intercept of Cunneen, tabled by Latham.

Within 24 hours the content of the recording had been leaked to the media, as multiple sources told journalists it discredited Cunneen's story.

Cunneen's supporters may now have egg on their face. Perhaps their willingness to take up her cause, from the shadows, had more to do with a desire to discredit ICAC. A weakened corruption watchdog would have less credibility when finally handing down that report into illegal political fund-raising in the Liberal Party.

Sounds like Labor's response to the royal commission into union corruption.

The NSW public's long memory gives voters short tolerance of state politicians.

The big backlash to Baird's Facebook post about the city's lockout laws shows the Premier's huge popularity, which returned the Liberals and Nationals to government last year despite the ICAC scandals, can't be taken for granted.

The Liberals need to take care to maintain trust with voters.

The inquiry into ICAC returns on Friday. Politicians should end the shadow wars and release publicly the intercept tapes that Latham says answer the "speculative, false claims" thrown at ICAC.

Then the party needs to wait for the ICAC's Spicer and Credo reports, and suck it up. Then get on with governing.