ICAC : Labor's favourite Family the Obeid's

Mine fix exposed in just 14 steps

VANDA CARSON 
The Daily Telegraph
February 01, 2013 12:00AM

ICAC says 14 key dates prove that Moses Obeid used the leaked information from disgraced former NSW resources minister Ian Macdonald to earn a $75 million profit.

Moses says it's coincidence he bought the neighbouring farms. The dates relate to 2008 when Macdonald reopened a tender process for mining exploration licences.

• May 14: Email shows Macdonald making inquiries within his department about Mount Penny.

• May 15: Macdonald went on an overseas excursion with coal mining people.

• June 3: Macdonald called out of the blue on his department for a briefing on the issue of coal exploration licences.

• June 6: Macdonald, contrary to department advice, created the Mount Penny tenement which includes the Obeid family farm.

• June 16: Macdonald calls for a specific briefing from the department about exploration licences in the Bylong Valley.

• June 16: Macdonald goes to Credo restaurant at Cammeray with Moses and racehorse trainer Anthony Cummings.

• June 23: Obeid brothers tell their lawyer they expect the value of their farms to increase up to four times.

• June 30: Notes taken by Obeid lawyer Chris Rumore at a meeting with Moses and two of his brothers show they knew there was a proposed mining licence and they were assuming it would be granted.

• July 2: Macdonald called for the creation of a list of the mining companies which were likely to be invited to participate in tenders.

• July 3: Moses Obeid meets with Gardner Brook at the Wentworth Hotel in Sydney to 
discuss the coal licences.
• July 4: Urgent meeting called by the Obeid family.
• July 7: Senior departmental officers met with Macdonald and gave him a list of companies to be invited to participate in the EOI.

• July 8: Moses Obeid meets Macdonald for lunch at the Courtyard Cafe Da Capo on Macquarie St - Obeid says he doesn't believe this happened.

• July 9: Macdonald phones Moses Obeid and tells him the list of mining companies in contention for the exploration licences and Obeid meets with Gardner Brook and gives it to him the list.