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An anti-corruption investigation into Daryl Maguire – disgraced former MP and former partner of New South Wales Prime Minister Gladys Berejiklian – is now complete
Daryl Maguire said during a corruption investigation that his relationship with Gladys Berejiklian may have started seven years ago, which contradicts what both sides had previously said
But in a transcript posted to the ICAC website this evening, the former MP for Wagga Wagga said at one point the relationship started in 2013
« When do you think the relationship turned into something that could rightly be described as a close personal relationship as opposed to a friendship? » we asked him
« Oh I don’t know if I could put a date on it We were still good friends and slowly over time the relationship developed I couldn’t tell you when it started », replied M Maguire
When asked if it was « fair to say » that he was in a « close personal relationship » in 2014, he said « yes »
M Maguire later noted that he « initially said it was in 2015 » At first I said ’15 and I lean towards ’15 still, or later ’14 It was, is my memory , somewhere there «
Anti-corruption organization apologized to couple after transcript of deleted details of their relationship was accidentally uploaded online
The transcript of the closed hearing, during which Mr. Maguire was asked about sensitive details of their relationship, was uploaded Thursday afternoon, and remained online for over 30 minutes
Ruth McColl, who chairs the Independent Commission Against Corruption investigation, opened Friday’s hearing with an apology to the Prime Minister and Mr. Maguire
« On behalf of the committee, I would like to apologize for this inadvertent uploading, » she said
But Ms Berejiklian’s attorney, Arthur Moses SC, said the ICAC needs to go further and find out who downloaded the content from its website and order them to destroy it
He said it was a violation of the Prime Minister’s privacy and security, but Ms McColl said the ICAC could not determine who downloaded the document
M Moses also objected to the way Mr. Maguire, who is under investigation for abuse of his public office while he was an MP between 1999 and 2018, was questioned about Ms Berejiklian’s knowledge of her extra-political business connections
“In the end, this commission is not a forum for a person’s reputation to be the basis of question marks if there is no basis for it,” he said. he declared
« If questions are to be asked, they must be carefully worded and properly based on facts »
The Prime Minister told reporters on Friday that posting the transcript of the private hearing on the ICAC website was not « pleasant »
The ICAC accused M Maguire to use his civil service to gain an advantage for himself He did not deny this
Since Ms Berejiklian was forced to publicly disclose her relationship with Mr Maguire, which ended in August 2020, the prime minister was forced to defend his integrity
Friday, M Maguire told the inquiry that he shielded the prime minister from details of his trade relationship so as not to cause hardship, but used it as a « sounding board »
« I thought that would cause him some difficulty, so I limited the information I gave him, yes obviously there is a conflict of interest and all that stuff, » he said. declared
M Maguire left politics in August 2018, a month after a separate ICAC investigation released tapes of him bragging to a real estate developer about his « mega-big » Chinese client
The former parliamentary secretary this week admitted using his MP status and taxpayer-funded staff for personal gain and said he had a « recurring, recurring » relationship with Ms. Berejiklian when she was treasurer then prime minister
The investigation heard Thursday, M Maguire expects to receive commission for helping ‘grease the wheels’ in $ 330 million real estate transaction in Sydney West
He heard a telephone recording in which Mr. Maguire told Ms Berejiklian that he would be able to pay off his debts with a payment of up to $ 1.5 million of « The Badgerys Creek stuff »
The deal involved the sale of 233 hectares next to the West Sydney Airport project to a Chinese developer
Get high and have the right to die: Election day in New Zealand is more than Jacinda Ardern
The long history of political corruption in New South Wales – and the downfall of MPs, ministers and prime ministers
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Gladys Berejiklian NSW Premier
World News – UA – Daryl Maguire says his « close personal relationship » with Gladys Berejiklian could have started in 2013
