2003 to 2007. While Chief of Staff, O'Grady became involved in the controversy surrounding cabinet minister Milton Orkopoulos and his being charged for underage sexual offences. It was claimed in November 2006 by Nationals MP, Adrian Piccoli that O'Grady had tipped him off about Orkopoulos' behaviour several months before he was formally charged by police, which O'Grady denied. He did admit, however, that he had learned in August 2006 that Orkopoulos was under investigation from his former electorate officer, Gillian Sneddon, who wanted his advice. O'Grady then arranged a meeting with David Tierney, a friend of Premier Iemma, to indirectly inform the Premier's office of the investigations. This did not happen and Iemma regarded the case against Orkopoulos as 'rumour and innuendo' up until his formal charging on 8 November, leading to criticism arising from the allegation that Iemma had left a minister in his cabinet knowing he was under investigation for such serious offences. In 2011, O'Grady was diagnosed with cancer and underwent preliminary treatment. In late 2011, the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) commenced an inquiry that heard allegations that former ALP MLC and Minister Ian Macdonald, while Minister, accepted sexual favours in return for introducing businessman to executives of state-owned energy companies and also alleged that property developer Ron Medich acted as a broker for Macdonald and was seeking to do business with government agencies where Macdonald had influence as a Minister. O'Grady, while in hospital for treatment of cancer, then went on the ABC television program, Stateline, and criticised the party for its culture of corruption, dodgy financial deals and treatment of former Orkopoulos staffer Gillian Sneddon, predicting that the NSW Labor Party would have a long period in opposition unless such issues were thoroughly dealt with. In May 2013, O'Grady appeared before the ICAC again during a separate investigation of allegations that Macdonald, as a government minister, had rorted a government coal licence tender which lead to a $30 million windfall for Labor 'powerbroker' and coal field property-owner Eddie Obeid and his family. When asked questions in response to a previous statement from Obeid that Macdonald had never been in his office, O'Grady noted that he was "incredulous" and thought there had been a mistake in the record. O'Grady, who as an MLC had his office next door to Obeid, noted that he had seen Macdonald "coming and going back and forth all the time"