Tripodi questioned Obeid's motives: ICAC

Former NSW minister Tony Kelly has admitted a cabinet minute that didn't favour AWH was rewritten. Source: AAP

FORMER NSW powerbroker Joe Tripodi says Eddie Obeid's repeated questioning about Australian Water Holdings made him wonder if the Obeid family had a financial stake in the firm.

Mr Tripodi told the corruption watchdog that Obeid had asked him about the progress of AWH chief executive Nick Di Girolamo's "matter" - a lucrative deal with the NSW government - on a number of occasions.

The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) is probing allegations the Obeid family had a secret $3 million stake in the company and stood to make up to $60 million if the proposed public-private partnership got up.

"There was (sic) a couple of times where he had asked me how his matter was progressing, Mr Di Girolamo's matter," Mr Tripodi said, including during his time as the state's infrastructure minister.

The "nature of the question" made him wonder if the Obeids had a stake in AWH, he said, but Obeid disclosed only that his son Edward Obeid Jr was working for the company.

"On one occasion, I said to him, Eddie, you and your family don't have any commercial interest in this? He said no, no, Junior's giving Australian Water a hand up in Queensland," Mr Tripodi told the commission.

Earlier on Thursday, the inquiry heard evidence from former NSW planning minister Tony Kelly, who said he spoke to Mr Tripodi about an AWH cabinet minute Mr Kelly had instructed be rewritten.

Mr Kelly said Mr Tripodi arrived unannounced at his property in Wellington - about a five-hour drive from Sydney - but that the visit took place before he was contacted by ICAC investigators.

"Mr Tripodi knocked on my door. He had a hamburger and a coffee," Mr Kelly said.

He said the pair chatted for up to half an hour about what their former parliamentary colleagues were up to.

Mr Tripodi then mentioned fellow former Labor minister Frank Sartor was writing a book "bagging out Labor", which was to include mention of the allegedly doctored minute.

"And then he finished his hamburger and said, OK, good to catch up with you," Mr Kelly said.

The inquiry continues.

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