NSW Labor has accused Gladys Berejiklian of turning a blind eye to corruption as the party moved to declare the Premier had lost the confidence of her peers.
Ms Berejiklian faced her colleagues in NSW parliament for Question Time on Tuesday afternoon, as the fallout continued from her testimony before the Independent Commission Against Corruption.
There were repeated calls for order by the deputy speaker, Leslie Williams, as the Premier and the Opposition Leader sparred over the revelation Ms Berejiklian had carried on a relationship with an MP at the centre of an ICAC inquiry.
After insults and accusations were hurled across the chamber, Ms Williams demanded the “unparliamentary conversation” end.
In her response to Labor’s accusations she failed to report corrupt conduct, the Premier said: “The public and the opposition and every member of this house deserve to know their Premier at all times has upheld...”
The opposition leader, Jodi McKay, interrupted: “You haven’t done that!”
As the Premier continued to answer the question, Ms McKay said: “You’re delusional, you’re completely delusional.”
“I want to state unequivocally, Madam Deputy Speaker, that at all times, I’ve acted in accordance with the highest levels of accountability,” Ms Berejiklian said, drawing scoffs from the MPs on the other side.
The contentious Question Time session came after Gladys Berejiklian faced a barrage of questions from reporters and insisted there was “nothing wrong” with her carrying on a relationship with Mr Maguire, a former Wagga Wagga MP.
“I have not done anything wrong,” Ms Berejiklian told reporters.
But her reassurances did little to satisfy the press gathered at the gardens at Parliament House in Sydney.
One reporter asked the Premier: “Do you think it is OK for MPs to get a cut from developers on the side?”
The Premier replied: “Look, I obviously made my comments known about that. I will not tolerate, never have, and never will, any improper conduct by any MP.”
Another reporter asked whether the Premier was worried about what Mr Maguire will tell ICAC when he faced the inquiry later this week.
“I’m not concerned whatsoever,” Ms Berejiklian said.
In a sometimes heated exchange with one reporter, the Premier rejected a suggestion her credibility had been damaged.
“That’s all your opinion,” she shot back.
“Premier, your relationship with Daryl Maguire, did you ever classify him as spouse or de facto?” another journalist asked.
“No way, no way,” the Premier replied.
Ms Berejiklian, who reportedly apologised to her party room earlier on Tuesday, declined an opportunity to ask for the forgiveness of NSW residents.
“Will you apologise to the people of NSW for not dobbing in Daryl Maguire earlier?” a reporter asked.
The Premier replied: “Look, I have already made my comments known extensively yesterday. And can I say, I appreciate … the difficult circumstances that have arisen but I also appreciate that at all stages I did everything I had to do in relation to executing my job in public office.”
“But why did you think it was OK for him to get a commission, to get a cut? Just explain that, please,” the reporter interrupted.
“At the end of the day, what guides us in this place are the rules that are in this place. MPs, depending on the office they hold, have restrictions but they also have obligations in relation to the way they conduct their business,” the Premier responded.
One of the unknowns reporters zeroed in on was when the Premier’s relationship with Mr Maguire started.
When she was asked in front of ICAC if she was in a relationship with Mr Maguire “from at least about the time of the 2015 election”, the Premier answered: “Or slightly after, thereabouts.”
Asked to clarify, she said: “Thereabouts”.
But the Commission saw text messages between the two in 2014, in which Ms Berejiklian congratulated Mr Maguire on getting a commission on a business deal.
Asked by a reporter whether the relationship had already begun by the time of that text exchange, the Premier answered:
“It is a very subjective and personal thing as to when you think something changed from a friendship to a close personal relationship. It is a very subjective thing.”
“And I have provided information to the best of my recollection and in full openness. And in fact, I was as open as I could be for someone who is very private.”
Ms Berejiklian’s bombshell witness testimony led the opposition to call for her resignation. Labor leader Jodi McKay was expected to move a motion of no confidence in state parliament later on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison joined Ms Berejiklian’s NSW Ministers in supporting her as Premier.
“Gladys is an extremely private person and a person of momentous integrity, a great friend, and I know she has been getting many messages of support from her friends and colleagues, including me yesterday and from Jenny,” Mr Morrison said at an event in Queensland.
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMijwFodHRwczovL3d3dy5uZXdzLmNvbS5hdS9uYXRpb25hbC9uc3ctYWN0L3BvbGl0aWNzL2dsYWR5cy1iZXJlamlrbGlhbi1pLWhhdmUtbm90LWRvbmUtYW55dGhpbmctd3JvbmcvbmV3cy1zdG9yeS85MzA4MjY5M2MyYmNiMGY1YTY4NmIxZjk3Yjk1ZGY5M9IBjwFodHRwczovL2FtcC5uZXdzLmNvbS5hdS9uYXRpb25hbC9uc3ctYWN0L3BvbGl0aWNzL2dsYWR5cy1iZXJlamlrbGlhbi1pLWhhdmUtbm90LWRvbmUtYW55dGhpbmctd3JvbmcvbmV3cy1zdG9yeS85MzA4MjY5M2MyYmNiMGY1YTY4NmIxZjk3Yjk1ZGY5Mw?oc=5
2020-10-13 03:53:12Z
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