The former New South Wales Labor powerbroker Eddie Obeid has been been granted unconditional bail after a magistrate found he posed no “unacceptable risk” of fleeing the country.
Obeid, who had his Order of Australia medal revoked earlier this week, appeared at Sydney’s Downing Centre on Thursday charged with misconduct in public office.
The charges followed a report in June by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (Icac) that Obeid “misused his position as an MP” to lobby ministerial colleagues and a senior public servant over retail leases in which his family had a secret stake.
The ruling means Obeid will be permitted to keep his passport.
The 71-year-old former minister, who once reputedly had the power to crown state premiers, sat quietly in the back of the crowded courtroom with his hands clasped as the magistrate dealt with the routine assaults, affrays and robberies that preceded his matter.
Prosecutor Daniel Noll argued that Obeid should be restricted from straying too close to airports and turn in his passport as he posed an “unacceptable risk” of fleeing the country before his next hearing, which was set down for 19 February.
He pointed to newspaper reports that Obeid was a duel Australian-Lebanese citizen and that his Hunters Hill mansion was on the market.
Obeid’s barrister, John Stratton SC, denied suggestions of the sale and added that Icac’s own commissioner had concluded the criminal case against his client was “far from overwhelming”.
Stratton said Obeid was a “former minister of the crown, with no prior convictions, and to say the least, he has very strong community ties”, pointing to his stable, 49-year marriage and 40 children and grandchildren, all of whom resided in Australia.
Obeid left the courtroom smiling, telling reporters he welcomed the magistrate’s decision, had full faith in the judicial system and would “endeavour to clear my name in future court proceedings”.
His associate, former Labor minister Ian Macdonald, also faced court on Thursday charged with misconduct in public office.
Macdonald allegedly granted a lucrative coal exploration license to benefit a political ally, union boss John Maitland, in another high-profile matter investigated by Icac. He was granted conditional bail.
