As you all probably know, the NSW Supreme Court is to decide in the coming week whether the ICAC Commissioner has been biased in conducting the case involving the awarding of mining leases.

If the Court indeed finds that the Commissioner has been biased, one wonders does this mean that the whole process has to start again under a new Commissioner or can it simply carry on where it left off. I suspect the former would apply, although the Court can make whatever ruling it considers appropriate.
No doubt the parties will be acutely interested in who would be the new chair of the enquiry.
We are aware from the evidence heard at ICAC, widely publicised, how wide was the web of influence spun by certain of the parties called as witnesses. Not surprising considering Labor was in power for about 15 years.
Among the witnesses still to be heard is Mr Combet, Minister for just about everything in the recently sworn-in Gillard govt.
Mr Combet was a former head of the ACTU. Mr Maitland, another witness, was a former head of the CFMEU.

I suspect, if there is a finding of bias, this case will be considerably delayed, probably for many months . . .if it even restarts.

Labor is buying time. They need this to go away until after the federal election.

This is just a tactict which will do nothing for this case or the next. All it will do is buy time. So someone has to be buying it.

hadrian_now wrote on Mar 29^th, 2013 at 1:34pm:

As you all probably know, the NSW Supreme Court is to decide in the coming week whether the ICAC Commissioner has been biased in conducting the case involving the awarding of mining leases. If the Court indeed finds that the Commissioner has been biased, one wonders does this mean that the whole process has to start again under a new Commissioner or can it simply carry on where it left off. I suspect the former would apply, although the Court can make whatever ruling it considers appropriate. No doubt the parties will be acutely interested in who would be the new chair of the enquiry. We are aware from the evidence heard at ICAC, widely publicised, how wide was the web of influence spun by certain of the parties called as witnesses. Not surprising considering Labor was in power for about 15 years. Among the witnesses still to be heard is Mr Combet, Minister for just about everything in the recently sworn-in Gillard govt. Mr Combet was a former head of the ACTU. Mr Maitland, another witness, was a former head of the CFMEU. I suspect, if there is a finding of bias, this case will be considerably delayed, probably for many months . . .if it even restarts.

There is no way this is going to be swept under the carpet.

Obeid wins $162,000 libel action

October 12, 2006 - 10:42AM
NSW Government MP Eddie Obeid has been awarded $162,173 compensation for a defamatory newspaper article alleging that he sought a bribe over the Oasis development in Sydney's west.

The former fisheries minister was not in the NSW Supreme Court today when Justice Clifton Hoeben handed down his decision against Fairfax.

Mr Obeid was awarded $162,173 compensation after suing Fairfax over the article headlined "ALP push for Oasis cash: Obeid accused", published in The Sydney Morning Herald on August 30, 2002.

Justice Hoeben found the article caused "significant damage to Mr Obeid's reputation and injury to his feelings".

A jury last year found the article about the Oasis development imputed Mr Obeid was a corrupt politician who was prepared to assist the Bulldogs Rugby League Club with the development if a $1 million bribe was paid to the ALP.

The Oasis project was to include a football stadium, basketball stadium, ice rink, water park, 2500 apartments and a club. It was a joint venture between Liverpool Council and the Bulldogs Rugby League Club, before the club pulled out of the deal.

An Independent Commission Against Corruption inquiry in 2003 cleared Mr Obeid of any wrongdoing.

By coincidence, Justice Cliff Hoeben is also hearing the case involving bias in ICAC.
He must be sick of hearing cases involving Mr Obeid.