Macdonald denies knowing Obeid owned mining land

Print Page Updated: 01:35:43 AM, Tue 12 February 2013

Former New South Wales Mining Minister has told the () in Sydney that he had no idea a mining tenement was over land owned by the Obeid family, until he read it in a newspaper.

Counsel-Assisting Geoffrey Watson is making his way through 40 points he has told the ICAC will help prove Ian Macdonald rigged a mining tender to the benefit of his former Labor colleague Eddie Obeid.

One of those points is the allegation that confidential maps were found in the Obeid family's office.

Ian Macdonald said he did not give the Obeids the maps.

He said he 'became concerned' when he read in a newspaper that the tenement was on land owned by the Obeids.

Ian Macdonald said the creation of the Mount Penny tenement 'just happened'.

He admitted he did not tell parliament or the Labor Party that the tenement was over Mr Obeid's property because he saw no reason to, and no one asked him.

Before the former minister entered the ICAC building this morning, staff were forced to break up an argument in the long queue for the public gallery.

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