Former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian insisted during private questioning by the state's corruption watchdog that she did not suspect her former boyfriend had engaged in corrupt conduct when she demanded his resignation in 2018.
Key points:
- Former premier Gladys Berejiklian was in a secret relationship with her fellow MP Daryl Maguire from 2015 until last last year.
- The ICAC is looking at what role Ms Berejiklian played in the awarding of grants in Mr Maguire's Wagga Wagga electorate.
- It will examine whether she turned a blind eye to Mr Maguire's corrupt business dealings.
The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) is investigating whether Ms Berejiklian breached public trust or turned a blind eye to alleged corruption when she was in a secret relationship with former MP Daryl Maguire.
Ms Berejiklian demanded his resignation in July 2018, saying she was "shocked" following admissions he made to the ICAC regarding the former Canterbury council and his intention to share in commissions from property developers.
It has previously been revealed that she was in a close personal relationship with Mr Maguire from around 2015, for five years.
On the opening day of two weeks of hearings, the ICAC was shown a video from a private examination of Ms Berejiklian, where she was repeatedly asked if she suspected her boyfriend engaged in corrupt conduct when she called for him to stand down.
Counsel assisting the commission Scott Robertson pressed Ms Berejiklian.
"I'm not asking whether you were sure, I'm asking whether at that point in time when you asked Mr Maguire for his resignation, whether you suspected that Mr Maguire had been engaged in corrupt conduct?
"I didn't know," Ms Berejiklian repeated.
At one stage, Mr Robertson said: "I'm not asking if you knew, I am asking whether at that point in time you suspected he was engaged in corrupt conduct or had been engaged in corrupt conduct."
Ms Berejiklain replied: "I didn't know. I was in shock. I didn't know what to think. I didn't have enough detail I hadn't read what was happening. I can't remember what I thought at that time."
When asked the same question again, she repeated that answer before eventually replying: "No."
Two multi-million dollar grants lie at the heart of these public hearings: one to the Australian Clay Target Association, and another to the Riverina Conservatorium of Music.
Both are in Mr Maguire's former electorate of Wagga Wagga.
The ICAC is examining whether Ms Berejiklian breached public trust in connection with the grants, in circumstances where there was a conflict between her public duties and her private life due to her relationship.
After he played the recording of Ms Berejiklian's evidence, Mr Robertson said an issue arose as to whether the commission should accept her answer.
He said if the ICAC did not accept it, the commission would consider why Ms Berejiklian did not report the alleged corrupt conduct to the watchdog.
It was also revealed former deputy premier John Barilaro will be a witness, along with Ms Berejiklian's predecessor Mike Baird.
In his opening address, Mr Robertson gave a sketch of the commission's functions and outlined various codes of conduct applicable at the relevant time.
He flagged evidence that he said would demonstrate that "various public officials" were influenced by what they understood to be the "support" of Ms Berejiklian for the building projects that received the grants.
Mr Robertson said that could mean the funding proposals advanced by Mr Maguire were given a level of "priority" they would otherwise not have received had the relationship been declared.
"That may well have been to the detriment of equally or more deserving projects or funding proposals," he said.
The hearing continues.
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2021-10-18 00:51:42Z
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