Fresh from corruptly making millions of dollars by rigging a tender for a valuable coal exploration licence, Eddie Obeid has asked taxpayers to cover his legal fees ''in the public interest''.

In July the Independent Commission Against Corruption found Mr Obeid and his family made $30 million by rigging a tender for the licence at Mount Penny in the Bylong Valley with the help of then mining minister Ian Macdonald.

Assets: Obeid's Hunters Hill home. Credit:Tamara Dean

As Mr Obeid faces another turn in the witness box on Wednesday at the new ICAC inquiry into his interests in commercial leases at Circular Quay, his lawyers have written to NSW Attorney-General Greg Smith requesting financial assistance.

Financial support is available to ICAC witnesses who meet the criteria at a rate of up to $4000 a day for senior counsel, up to $1800 a day for junior counsel and $240 an hour for solicitors for up to 10 hours a day.