Edward Obeid
7 August 2012. In a media release today Independent Commission Against Corruption (IACC) said that it has commenced inquiry code-named Operation Jasper to investigate whether the former NSW Minister for Primary Industries and Mineral Resources, Ian Macdonald, former minister for mineral resources Eddie Obeid, and former minister for roads and commerce, Eric Roozendaal were involved in irregular issue of coal mining licences. The public enquiry will examine whether Edward Obeid influenced issue of any of the licences. ICAC will enquire into allegations that Edward Obeid, a former mining minister, received confidential information about the tender prices from Macdonald’s department. In September 2008 Macdonald invited tenders for 11 coal mining licenses. The Herald previously reported that licences were issued to a $1 company run by a mortgage broker, Andrew Kaidbay. Kaidbay is a director of three companies in which the Obeids’ majority shareholding was hidden via a nominee company. Nine months before the opening of the tender Obeid family paid $3.65 million for the mining land. The second investigation, Operation Acacia will examine the circumstances surrounding the issue of an invitation to a company associated with former union boss John Maitland. “The third investigation, Operation Indus, will examine the circumstances in which Edward Obeid’s son, Moses Obeid, provided Mr Roozendaal with a Honda CRV motor vehicle in June 2007. At the time, Mr Roozendaal was the Minister for Commerce and the Minister for Roads,” said the media release. Edward Obeid was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1991 to 2011 and was a minister from 1999 to 2003.He migrated to Australia at the age of 6 with his family from Lebanon.
