A A$600,000 ($560,000) apartment in Ryde "has exposed connections" between National Rugby League side
Parramatta Eels and the family of corrupt ex-Labor MP, Eddie Obeid, according to Massoud, Hooper & Wilson of the Sydney DAILY TELEGRAPH.
An investigation "found prop Darcy Lussick
bought the two-bedroom apartment in a new 400-unit complex at Top Ryde
just over 12 months ago from a company solely controlled by one of
Obeid’s five sons, Gerard Obeid." The A$600,000 purchase price was
A$30,000 less than what Gerard Obeid’s company, Pope Property Holdings
Pty Ltd. (Pope Property), "paid for the unit three-and-a-half months
earlier."
But Lussick’s Manager Wayne Beavis said that "the transaction was part of a
legitimate Marquee Player Agreement" backed by appropriate
paperwork (
DAILY TELEGRAPH, 8/15). In Sydney, McClymont & Proszenko reported the NRL "will investigate whether there are any salary cap
implications." The NRL "is in the process of conducting a mid-year review of
each club's salary caps and the Eels matter will come under scrutiny as
part of the audit." An NRL spokesperson said, ''We are not commenting on specifics about Parramatta. All clubs have regular mid-year salary reviews and Parramatta will be part of that process" (
SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 8/15).
