Summary
- Disgraced former Wagga Wagga MP Daryl Maguire is facing a third day of questioning at the ICAC inquiry into his possible misuse of his position for financial gain, after a transcript of his private evidence was inadvertently uploaded to the corruption watchdog's website late yesterday.
- Mr Maguire has given further evidence about his five-year relationship with Premier Gladys Berejiklian today, including that Ms Berejiklian "didn't want to know" some details of his business dealings.
- The ICAC apologised today for inadvertently publishing the private transcript. The corruption watchdog is now holding an internal investigation into the incident and has also referred the matter to the independent ICAC Inspector.
- The ICAC Inspector, Sydney barrister Bruce McClintock, SC, has confirmed he also received a complaint from Ms Berejiklian's legal representatives about the inadvertent publication of the transcript.
- The Premier has again denied wrongdoing and said she accepted the ICAC's apology today, although it has "not been pleasant".
Watch live: ICAC grills Daryl Maguire
Disgraced former Wagga Wagga MP Daryl Maguire is being grilled for a third day at the ICAC about his business dealings while in office and his former relationship with Premier Gladys Berejiklian. You can watch it live here.
Latest updates
Cabinet rallies around Berejiklian
By Megan Gorrey
Senior NSW cabinet ministers have doubled down on their defence of Premier Gladys Berejiklian, insisting the Coalition remains a "strong team" united behind her leadership.
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said on Friday he "of course" supported Ms Berejiklian remaining as premier, emphasising her leadership throughout the coronavirus crisis.
"She's held herself with great dignity during this difficult period of time. She's been the most hard-working premier this state has ever seen," he said.
Planning and Public Spaces Minister Rob Stokes said Ms Berejiklian had the "undivided support of everyone in government".
"We have a strong team that is united behind Gladys Berejiklian who has done an extraordinary job as premier of this state.
"She's demonstrated just how hard she will work for the people of NSW."
He said politicians "were not commentators" and ICAC hearings remained under way.
"Until that point, it's really important we focus on the here and now, and our jobs serving the people of NSW."
Customer Services Minister Victor Dominello said he was "so proud to be supporting Gladys Berejiklian".
To recap
The ICAC is now taking a break for lunch. The evidence from former Wagga Wagga MP Daryl Maguire has been as interesting as ever. Here are the highlights from the morning:
- Mr Maguire admitted that he told Premier Gladys Berejiklian some information about his business dealings but held some details back. He responded, "well, yes", when asked if "there were particular bits of information that [Ms Berejiklian] didn't want to know about your activities".
- At this time (around 2017 and 2018) Mr Maguire and Ms Berejiklian were in a secret relationship that had started around 2015 and would end only this year, in about September.
- Mr Maguire said he did not give Ms Berejiklian some information about his business dealings because it may have created conflicts of interest.
- The ICAC will hold an internal investigation into the circumstances in which it inadvertently published a transcript of Mr Maguire's private evidence yesterday about the nature and extent of his relationship with Ms Berejiklian. Assistant Commissioner Ruth McColl, who is presiding over the inquiry, apologised to Ms Berejiklian and Mr Maguire this morning for the privacy breach.
- ICAC Inspector Bruce McClintock, SC, has also received a referral from the ICAC about the transcript issue, while Ms Berejiklian's legal representatives lodged a complaint with him in relation to the same matter.
'My little friend': Maguire asked about tapped call
In another intercepted phone call, former Wagga Wagga MP Daryl Maguire spoke of introducing his "little friend" to someone and asked Premier Gladys Berejiklian if she knew who he meant.
She replied to Mr Maguire: "I don’t need to know."
Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Daryl Maguire.Credit:Dominic Lorrimer, Nick Moir
Asked why he was speaking in code, Mr Maguire said "I don't know" and "I don't recall."
He told the ICAC this was a reference to his property developer friend, Jo Alha.
During the call, Mr Maguire said he introduced his "little friend" to someone but "you don't need to know what for".
Asked why he said this, Mr Maguire said he just didn't think she needed to know. He did not agree that he was concerned not to "fix" Ms Berejiklian with information that might attract her action or criticism.
No 'financial intermingling' between Premier and Maguire
The ICAC has, of course, heard evidence that Premier Gladys Berejiklian and former Wagga Wagga MP Daryl Maguire were in a secret five-year relationship from 2015 and Mr Maguire is now being asked for further information.
He agrees with counsel assisting the ICAC, Scott Robertson, that there was "no financial intermingling" between the pair.
Asked to explain why he gave Ms Berejiklian some information about his business dealings while holding some details back, Mr Maguire said he didn't want to "burden her with detail" and there was "nothing of any substance".
It was "hypothetical and talk", he says.
Opposition Leader Jodi McKay doubles down
Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Opposition Leader Jodi McKay butted heads in Parliament on Thursday after Ms McKay asked a question that Ms Berejiklian deemed "offensive".
Ms Berejiklian said Ms McKay should withdraw the question and challenged her to repeat it outside. The significance of this is that questions in Parliament are privileged and cannot be the subject of a defamation action, but comments outside Parliament are not protected.
Ms McKay has now repeated some questions outside. We will not be posting them for legal reasons.
Jodi McKay and Gladys Berejiklian in question time yesterday.
Maguire responds to 'this stuff is ICAC-able' comment
The ICAC has heard a tapped phone call from 2017 in which former Wagga Wagga MP Daryl Maguire gives Premier Gladys Berejiklian's private email address to racing heir and landowner Louise Raedler Waterhouse.
After first telling Ms Waterhouse she could "blame him" for using the Premier's direct email, he said, "the fact is all that stuff is ICAC-able". Ms Waterhouse responded that she didn't want it to form part of any "freedom of information" requests.
Mr Maguire told the ICAC today he "wasn't concerned" at that time that it was improper for him to assist Ms Waterhouse with property and planning issues relating to a parcel of land she owned at Badgerys Creek, although at this point he had the "hope" of receiving profits himself.
He agreed it was improper for him to pass on the Premier's personal email address.
In a subsequent call, Mr Maguire asks Ms Berejiklian if she received an email from Ms Waterhouse and the Premier said no. After a short time, Ms Berejiklian said she had to get off the phone. It is fair to say that, in this call, the Premier sounded completely uninterested and distracted as Mr Maguire spoke of Ms Raedler Waterhouse's concerns.
'It has not been pleasant,' Premier says of leaks
By Nick Ralston
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she had received an apology from the ICAC over it inadvertently publishing a transcript of sensitive information about her relationship with former Wagga Wagga MP Daryl Maguire that was heard in a private hearing with him on Thursday afternoon.
"Suffice to say it has not been pleasant; unfortunately it didn't happen once, but twice. I've accepted their apologies," she said.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian speaks at a press conference on Friday.Credit:Nick Moir
The transcript remained on the ICAC's website for about half an hour on Thursday. The ICAC is now conducting an internal investigation into the incident and has also referred the matter to the independent ICAC Inspector, Sydney barrister Bruce McClintock, SC.
Asked what would it take for her to resign as premier, Ms Berejiklian said: "When I have done something wrong."
She said she did not believe there would be a cloud over her leadership until the ICAC makes its findings, saying she was only there was a witness and that she has not been accused of any wrongdoing.
Premier fends off questions about ICAC evidence
By Nick Ralston
Premier Gladys Berejiklian has again reiterated that she has "done nothing wrong" and asked people to respect the ICAC investigation process.
After giving a COVID-19 update to the media, Ms Berejiklian has been asked again about the September 2017 phone call she had with then Wagga Wagga MP Daryl Maguire in which she said "I don't need to know about that bit" in response to Mr Maguire speaking about a potential Badgerys Creek business deal.
Mr Maguire has agreed at the ICAC this morning that there was some information that the premier did not want to be told about his business deals.
Ms Berejiklian has fended off the questions saying she has addressed this issue during six hours of public evidence at the ICAC on Monday.
"I spent six hours being very open and transparent, and I refer you to those comments," she said. " I have been absolutely cooperative with ICAC from the outset."
ICAC takes short break
Morning tea time at the ICAC. We're back in 15 minutes.
Watch: Premier gives COVID-19 update
By Ben Grubb
Premier Gladys Berejiklian provided a COVID-19 update just after 11am AEDT. We expect she'll be asked about this morning's evidence at the ICAC. You can watch live below:
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2020-10-16 02:24:00Z
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