ICAC hasn't called me: NSW premier

If NSW corruption investigators thought he'd acted improperly, he'd already have heard from them, Premier Barry O'Farrell says.

The NSW premier says the corruption watchdog hasn't asked to interview him over claims he helped push through a Sydney Water deal for a company linked to Eddie Obeid.

The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) is set to investigate a $100 million dollar contract awarded by Sydney Water in 2012, News Corp Australia reported on Thursday.

Mr O'Farrell and former finance minister Greg Pearce met in August 2011 with Nick Di Girolamo, a Liberal donor whose company - Australian Water - subsequently sealed the 25-year contract to build water infrastructure at Rouse Hill, the report said.

But Mr O'Farrell says the August 2011 meeting has already been reported in February this year, and it was perfectly proper for him to meet with businessmen.

"(There are) no problems with meetings - problems arise with actions from meetings," he told reporters on Thursday.

"My government ensured that we did not interfere with this process, Australian Water were told it would be inappropriate for us to involve ourselves."

The deal between Australian Water and Sydney Water came despite legal and departmental advice to the previous Labor government warning against it, it's been reported.

Former Labor powerbroker Eddie Obeid - who was found guilty of corruption by the ICAC last month - held secret shares in Australian Water, the report said.

Mr O'Farrell said he had no concerns about corruption in his own ranks - and he didn't believe the ICAC had any such concerns, either.

"Given that it's been reported that the Independent Commission Against Corruption has been looking at these issues since December last year, if they had any concerns, I would have assumed by this point they would have raised them with me," he said.

The premier couldn't say whether he had attended any fundraisers at which Mr Di Girolamo was present but he added that he occasionally ran into him at the footy.

"The last time I saw him was earlier this year at a Wests Tigers match and I can assure you, and this would be known to anyone who's watched the season this year, any conversation was about the performance of Wests Tigers, not state matters," he said.


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Source: AAP


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