Claims by the Obeid family that they would be subjected to "more intense verbal abuse" or "acts of violence" by irate members of the public if some of their financial dealings were revealed have been rejected by a court.
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Federal Court Justice Lindsay Foster ruled on Friday that revelations about how the family shared the spoils of a $30-million coal deal should not be suppressed and were unlikely to "exacerbate the existing hostility felt by some towards the Obeid family".
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission provides details of the financial carve-up in documents filed as part of its pursuit of Paul and Moses Obeid over allegations they rigged a NSW government tender for a coal exploration licence over the family's Bylong Valley farm.
The documents, expected to be released within days, show some of the proceeds went to disgraced former Labor MP Eddie Obeid's grandchildren. The judge said there was "no suggestion" the children had broken the law.
The Obeid brothers Moses and Paul – the second and third of Mr Obeid's five sons – applied to the court to have the information suppressed.
Justice Foster said the men described "occasions when they and members of their family have been verbally abused by members of the public as a consequence of considerable media attention" surrounding inquiries by the Independent Commission Against Corruption.
The brothers expressed a "fear or concern" that "they and their families may be subjected to more intense verbal abuse and may even be subjected to acts of violence" unless the information was suppressed.
They also expressed "fears of even more serious potential action that might be carried out ... by disgruntled members of the public".
The ICAC has previously revealed the Obeids were paid $30 million as part of a deal with Cascade Coal, the company that won the exploration licence over their farm, to relinquish their 25 per cent stake in a mining venture with the company.
The ACCC is pursuing Cascade Coal and its directors John McGuigan and Richard Poole, along with Mr McGuigan's son James, as part of the cartel conduct case.
Justice Foster said disclosing details about the "ultimate destination" of the $30 million was "unlikely to cause a fresh round of more serious verbal abuse or lead to physical harm" against the Obeids.
"Mere embarrassment, inconvenience, annoyance or unreasonable or groundless fears will not suffice" to get a suppression order, he said.
