No hoodwinking in document redraft: ICAC

Former NSW premier Nathan Rees (pic) says Eddie Obeid lobbied him about AWH, an inquiry has heard. Source: AAP

A FORMER staffer to ex-NSW minister Tony Kelly says he believes fellow Labor minister Joe Tripodi fed him information that he used to rewrite slabs of a crucial cabinet minute.

But Mr Kelly's former chief of staff, Laurie Brown, denies he was trying to "hoodwink" cabinet.

The document, along with claims it was doctored to help the Obeid-linked Australian Water Holdings (AWH) secure a lucrative government deal, are now at the centre of a NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) investigation.

Government advisor Brian McGlynn has testified he submitted advice to Mr Kelly's office in 2010 not to enter into direct negotiations with AWH over a proposed public-private partnership.

But the McGlynn minute was allegedly doctored - twice - to reverse that recommendation before it was sent to cabinet.

Mr Brown told ICAC on Tuesday he made substantial changes to the minute and that his redraft contained technical details he did not understand and information he had never verified.

Asked where much of the information came from, Mr Brown said: "It could well have been Mr Tripodi."

He also agreed that parts of the redrafted document were "highly deceptive", but denied trying to mislead the government.

"There was no hoodwinking," he told Commissioner Megan Latham.

"You were deliberately hiding facts which could point against Australian Water Holdings getting its deal," counsel assisting Geoffrey Watson SC said.

"I was withdrawing facts which had a financial implication on the negotiations," Mr Brown responded.

Mr Brown revealed during a private interview with ICAC last year that Labor powerbroker Eddie Obeid spoke to him about AWH, and told him "they wanted to talk with DPC (Department of Premier and Cabinet) and have negotiations with DPC - that's what he said to me".

It has been alleged the Obeid family had a secret stake in AWH and stood to make millions if the government deal got up.

But on Tuesday, Mr Brown denied trying to secure a favourable outcome for Mr Obeid's family or AWH executives.

"I couldn't give two hoots about what they got," he said.

Mr Brown told the inquiry he was affected by painkillers when he gave his private interview, which affected his "cognitive recall".

Former NSW water minister Phil Costa also appeared in the ICAC witness box on Tuesday.

He told the inquiry Mr Obeid spoke to him about AWH and Sydney Water multiple times.

But the encounter that sticks in his mind is a conversation in a parliamentary lift, when Mr Obeid asked him to remove then-Sydney Water managing director Kerry Schott.

"For some reason he asked me to 'sack the bitch'," Mr Costa told the corruption inquiry.

"I was a little gobsmacked by it ... in my normal way, I probably would have said 'I'll look into it'."

Mr Costa said Mr Obeid later told him: "Keep away from Ms Schott, they're coming after her".

He dismissed it - until ICAC investigators turned up at his parliamentary office with questions about Dr Schott's relationship with the multinational Veolia.

Mr Watson has previously told the inquiry a false corruption allegation was made about Dr Schott.

The false allegation is expected to feature in a forthcoming ICAC inquiry, Operation Spicer.

The inquiry in Sydney continues.

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