Eddie Obeid

Early years and background

Obeid was born in the village of Matrite (sometimes called Metrit or Mitrit), a village in Northern Lebanon with a Maronite Catholic majority, At age 6, he migrated to Australia with his family and they settled in Redfern, growing up in a terrace house. A dual LebaneseAustralian citizen, of Lebanese Maronite Catholic faith, Obeid was an altar boy, sold newspapers from a street corner, and collected deposits on soft drink bottles. At the time of his resignation from the Council, Obeid claimed that his most satisfying moment in politics was to assist in the passage of legislation to help building sub-contractors. 2003 allegations that Obeid promised to secure the seat of Parramatta, and an early ministry for David Borger if he dumped the Left faction and joined the dominant Right 2004 claims that Obeid had exerted undue influence on family members 2007 influence in the composition of the Iemma ministry and Iemma's demise 2009 influence in the composition of the Rees ministry 2009 representations to NSW Minister for Roads, Michael Daley, on behalf of Mid-Western Regional Council for funding to seal a 1.5 km stretch of roadway near Obeid's family property near Mudgee. Obeid failed to disclose his business interest 2009–2010 allegations that Obeid, together with right-wing Terrigals sub-factional colleague Joe Tripodi, influenced the election and make-up of the Kristina Keneally ministry

A large number of the allegations against Obeid were generated by Fairfax Media's, Sydney Morning Herald. In 2003, following Obeid's decision to not seek re-election to the fourth Carr ministry, he was quoted as saying: "[…] my decision will ensure that Government is not distracted by the campaign of innuendo, vilification and unsubstantiated allegation launched against me by The Sydney Morning Herald. This campaign shows no sign of abating and until my defamation action against the Herald is resolved in the courts, any work I did as a minister could be overshadowed."

Announcing his decision to retire from the Legislative Council on 10 May 2011, Obeid issued a statement that his granddaughter, Gisele, was diagnosed with cancer tumours in her kidneys in November 2010 and that, despite an operation and extensive chemotherapy, recent scans suggest some of the tumours remain. He said: "My wife and I need to spend all our time supporting our son Moses and his wife Nikki through this difficult time." Walt Secord, the former chief of staff to the former Premier, Kristina Keneally was nominated by Labor to fill the casual vacancy. However, it is known that Obeid, together with his two brothers, inherited their father's estate that comprised land and houses in Lebanon. Obeid has since sold his stake and is, "no longer the publisher of that paper".

In September 2002, The Sydney Morning Herald alleged that Obeid was one of NSW's richest members of parliament. Media reports claimed that Obeid had purchased a property in Clovelly for 875,000 in 1991 and the following day sold the property to the New South Wales Department of Housing for A$1.1 million. As a result of these allegations, the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) conducted an inquiry and found that there was no evidence that any donation was made to the Labor Party in relation to the project. The Commission made a finding that Obeid had never solicited a donation and cleared him of any wrongdoing. In the meantime, The Herald reports for a series of articles concerning Canterbury Bulldogs salary cap breaches and the above (false) allegations had won a Gold Walkley. Obeid commenced defamation action against Fairfax Media and in 2006 the Supreme Court found that Obeid had been defamed and that the media article had contributed to Obeid losing his job as a NSW minister. Obeid was awarded A$162,173 in damages, plus costs believed to have been more than A$1 million. Walkley Awards organisers later said the judging panel, "would not have awarded the prize if it had known the allegations against Mr Obeid would be found to be unsubstantiated".

Obeid's family have property interests in Lebanon, Woolwich and Hunters Hill, and Concord (since sold); and business interests in live sheep exporting to Syria and Iraq, leases on cafes at Circular Quay that later developed into further scandal & criminal prosecutions, and the marina at .

ICAC investigations

Operations Jasper and Acacia

In November 2012, the New South Wales ICAC began a series of investigative hearings relating to Obeid's alleged property and mining interests. This inquiry concerned, among other issues, the circumstances surrounding a decision made in 2008 by the then Minister for Primary Industries and Minister for Mineral Resources, Ian Macdonald, to open a mining area in the Bylong Valley for coal exploration. These circumstances include whether Macdonald's decision was influenced by Obeid. After the presentation of the ICAC's opening statements in 2012, NSW Opposition Leader, John Robertson asked the NSW Labor Party to suspend Obeid's party membership; which was subsequently terminated in mid-2013. The witnesses list for the inquiry included former NSW Premiers Morris Iemma and Nathan Rees.

On 31 July 2013 the ICAC found that Obeid, Macdonald, and others engaged in corrupt conduct in relation to their actions involving the Mount Penny mining tenement in the Bylong Valley. The ICAC found that Obeid engaged in corrupt conduct by entering into agreements with Macdonald, whereby Macdonald acted contrary to his public duty as a minister of the Crown.

The ICAC recommended that the matter be referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions with respect to prosecuting Obeid and others. On reviewing the evidence before the Commission of the financial benefits accrued to the Obeid family, the ICAC provided relevant information to the NSW Crime Commission for such action as it deems appropriate, and the ICAC also disseminated relevant information to the Australian Taxation Office for appropriate action. Further matters were also referred to the Australian Securities & Investments Commission, the Australian Securities Exchange and the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions.

In January 2014, the then Premier, Barry O'Farrell, announced that the Liberal/National government would introduce legislation into Parliament to cancel the exploration licences for Doyles Creek, Mount Penny and Glendon Brook.

In late May 2017, Obeid was committed to stand trial on conspiracy charges with Macdonald, relating to McDonald's granting of a coal exploration licence involving the Mount Penny tenement; due to commence in March 2019.

Operations Cyrus, Meeka and Cabot

In October 2013, the ICAC commenced further investigative hearings surrounding allegations that, between 2000 and 2011, Obeid misused his position as a Member of Parliament to attempt to influence public officials to exercise their official functions with respect to retail leases at Circular Quay, without disclosing that Obeid, his family or a related entity had an interest in some of those leases. It was also alleged that during the same period, certain public officials improperly exercised their official functions, with respect to retail leases at Circular Quay, to benefit Obeid or his family (Operation Cyrus). The ICAC also investigated allegations that, between 2005 and 2008, Obeid misused his position to attempt to influence other public officials to make decisions favouring Direct Health Solutions Pty Ltd., without disclosing that he, his family or a related entity had an interest in that company (Operation Meeka). Further, the ICAC also commenced investigations into allegations that, between 2007 and 2008, Obeid misused his position as a Member of Parliament to influence public officials to exercise their official functions with respect to the review and grant of water licences at a farm at Bylong in the Hunter Valley, without disclosing that he, his family or a related entity had an interest in the licences. It is also alleged that during the same period, certain public officials improperly exercised their official functions with respect to the review and grant of the water licences (Operation Cabot).

Former ministers, Carl Scully and Joe Tripodi were called before the ICAC; which handed down its findings in June 2014, recommending that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) consider charging Obeid with misconduct in public office. After a December hearing that refused to place Obeid under strict bail conditions, in February 2015 a Supreme Court judge ordered Obeid to surrender both his Australian and Lebanese passports, in the absence of an extradition treaty between Australian and Lebanon, as Obeid was considered a potential flight risk. In February 2016 a criminal trial against Obeid commenced in the NSW Supreme Court; In a subsequent criminal trial lasting just over three weeks, a jury found Obeid guilty of misconduct in public office. He was sentenced in December 2016 to five years in jail with a non-parole period of three years, and granted parole in 2019. On 13 September 2017 the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal, Bathurst CJ, Leeming JA, Hulme, Hamill and Adams JJ, dismissed the appeal against both his conviction and his sentence. The Court held that it would be an affront to the administration of justice for the Court to decline to exercise its jurisdiction and that it was inconceivable that a politician of sixteen years standing who had been a Minister for four years did not know that his duty was to serve the public interest and that he was not elected to use his position to advance his own or his family’s pecuniary interests. Obeid's legal team subsequently sought leave to lodge an appeal against his conviction with the High Court of Australia; claiming that the courts had no jurisdiction to hear a case about misconduct in public office and that jurisdiction rested with the NSW Parliament. Handing down its ruling on 22 March 2018, the High Court, before Bell, Keane and Edelman JJ, ruled there was insufficient possibility the appeal would succeed and leave was refused. In March 2026, it was reported that the NSW government has frozen approximately $AU30 million in assets from family trusts to properties owned by the Obeid family retroactively, from the past 10 years since 2016 to 2026 - especially Eddie Obeid and his son Mark Obeid the joint owner of the family trusts.

Criminal conspiracy Further to Operations Cyrus, Meeka and Cabot, the DPP charged Obeid and his son, Moses, of conspiring over a coal exploration licence granted over the Obeid family farm in the Bylong Valley, when Ian Macdonald was Resources Minister from 2007 to 2009. Macdonald was separately charged with misconduct in public office. All three were tried before Justice Elizabeth Fullerton, and the trial commenced in early 2020 and concluded in February 2021. None of the accused gave evidence at their trial. Justice Fullerton handed down her verdict on 19 July, finding all three guilty. On 21 October 2021, Obeid was sentenced to seven years' jail, however was immediately released on bail due to concerns about the risk of Obeid contracting COVID. Macdonald and Moses Obeid were also given custodial sentences and did not apply for bail. Obeid, together with his son and Macdonald, lodged an appeal against their conviction, claiming that Justice Fullerton made a number of errors of fact and reasoning when she found them guilty. The appeal was dismissed by the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal in October 2023.

Post-political career

In late 2013, it was reported that Obeid and family were building a sandstone mansion in his ancestral home town of Matrit, Lebanon, due for completion in late 2014. In 2013, Obeid also made application for fee assistance from the New South Wales government to assist with legal costs. In May 2017, the NSW Parliament passed legislation to remove parliamentary pensions from former politicians convicted of serious criminal offences. , the NSW Government was trying to recover approximately 7.9 million from Obeid and three of his sons for their failed lawsuits against the ICAC and its officers. which was cancelled by the Governor-General in 2014.

As a state minister and Member of the Legislative Council, Obeid was entitled to use the honorific "The Honourable" for life.