The high-profile corruption inquiry into Gladys Berejiklian’s dealings with a disgraced former Liberal MP will hand down its much anticipated findings imminently.
The NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption has confirmed it will hand down its report into former premier Gladys Berejiklian on June 29.
The anti-corruption watchdog investigated whether Ms Berejiklian breached public trust through her secret relationship with former Liberal MP Daryl Maguire.
The Independent Commission Against Corruption has revealed the investigation report into disgraced former Liberal MP Darryl Maguire and former premier Gladys Berejiklian will be provided to the NSW Parliament on Thursday, June 29.
The parliament’s presiding officer will then decide whether or not to make the report’s findings public.
The high-profile investigation launched in 2020 was originally established to probe then-MP for Wagga Wagga, Daryl Maguire, his dodgy business dealings and the awarding of lucrative grants to local recreational businesses.
But after a bombshell public hearing appearance in 2021 when Ms Berejiklian admitted to having a long and secret relationship with the disgraced MP, Operation Keppel turned its attention to the then-premier.
In October 2021 during the height of New South Wales’ deadly COVID-19 wave, ICAC announced Ms Berejiklian would become a focus of its inquiries.
Former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian was forced to front several public ICAC hearings in 2021. Picture: NCA Newswire / Gaye Gerard
Hours after the corruption watchdog’s explosive statement, Ms Berejiklian promptly resigned as premier.
ICAC’s investigation focused on whether or not Ms Berejiklian, in her role as treasurer and premier, breached public trust.
The Australian Clay Target Association and the Conservatorium of Music, both in Wagga Wagga were awarded $5.5 million and $30 million in grants between 2016 and 2018.
Ms Berejiklian has maintained her innocence and rejected suggestions she misused her authority in the government’s awarding of the grants.
ICAC also aimed to investigate if Ms Berejiklian engaged in “dishonest or partial” exercise of her official functions by “refusing” to report any matter she may have suspected as “corrupt conduct” relating to Mr Maguire.
The Australian’s Legal Affairs Contributor Chris Merritt says the ICAC investigation into former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian should have been resolved “much earlier”, following the report being delayed.
“When they eventually produce their report, it’s almost inevitable that there will be some adverse finding against Ms Berejiklian,” Mr Merritt told Sky News host Chris Kenny.
“But it’s also very likely that that finding will be challenged on the grounds that … there could be an argument that this entire exercise of public hearings has been infected by a conflict of interest.”
The watchdog had been secretly taping phone conversations between Ms Berejiklian and Mr Maguire when the then-Wagga Wagga MP was forced out of Parliament over dodgy property deals.
The recordings were made public during the first round of inquiries in September 2020.
The inquiry’s announcement on Wednesday comes after several delays with the report initially earmarked to be handed down in early 2022.
ICAC Assistant Commissioner Ruth McColl was set to finish her appointment with the commission in October 2022.
But her services were extended to conclude her report into Operation Keppel.