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| Eddie Obeid found guilty of misconduct in public office | Eddie Obeid found guilty of misconduct in public office |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The former New South Wales Labor minister Eddie Obeid has been found guilty of misconduct in public office over his family’s business dealings. | The former New South Wales Labor minister Eddie Obeid has been found guilty of misconduct in public office over his family’s business dealings. |
| A supreme court jury in Sydney took less than a day to deliberate before finding Obeid guilty on Tuesday, after a trial lasting three weeks. | A supreme court jury in Sydney took less than a day to deliberate before finding Obeid guilty on Tuesday, after a trial lasting three weeks. |
| The criminal charges followed adverse findings against Obeid, 72, by the Independent Commission Against Corruption. | The criminal charges followed adverse findings against Obeid, 72, by the Independent Commission Against Corruption. |
| Obeid hugged and kissed family members in the back of the courtroom on Tuesday afternoon after hearing the jury’s decision. | Obeid hugged and kissed family members in the back of the courtroom on Tuesday afternoon after hearing the jury’s decision. |
| Over the course of the former MP’s trial, the jury heard that in late 2007, Obeid spoke about the plight of Circular Quay leaseholders to the then deputy chief executive of the NSW Maritime Authority, Steve Dunn – but did not disclose his family’s direct financial stakes in two restaurants along the prime foreshore strip. | Over the course of the former MP’s trial, the jury heard that in late 2007, Obeid spoke about the plight of Circular Quay leaseholders to the then deputy chief executive of the NSW Maritime Authority, Steve Dunn – but did not disclose his family’s direct financial stakes in two restaurants along the prime foreshore strip. |
| Related: Eddie Obeid lobbied MPs about Circular Quay tenants, court hears | |
| “Mr Obeid said to Mr Dunn that there were a group of retail tenants at the Circular Quay wharfs that were being mistreated by the Maritime Authority,” Crown prosecutor Peter Neil SC said during his opening address earlier this month. | |
| “Mr Dunn took it that Mr Obeid had contacted him as a member of parliament.” | |
| Another former Labor minister, Joe Tripodi, testified during the three-week trial that he too was approached by Obeid after he became the state’s ports minister in 2006. | |
| He said he could not recall Obeid informing him that he had any interest in any of the retail businesses at Circular Quay. | |
| “And if he did have any kind of interest whatever in those retail tenancies while you were minister for ports, would you have wanted to know about it?” Neil asked. | |
| Tripodi agreed that he would have wanted a heads-up, and when asked why, he grinned and said: “Well, because I wouldn’t be sitting here today.” | |
| Obeid will remain on bail ahead of sentencing proceedings in August, when prosecutors are expected to push for a jail term. |