On Monday, October 12, Australia learned that New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian had been in a “personal” relationship with former NSW MP Daryl Maguire.
Gladys was speaking to a corruption enquiry, which is being held to investigate whether Daryl, a former member for Wagga Wagga, had used his position for personal gain.
Like other Australian state premiers, Gladys has remained front and centre of our attention throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, becoming a familiar face to watch and listen to as we seek direction and leadership in these unprecedented times.
But like many people who become household names, Gladys’ increased exposure also means that she is subject to consistent scrutiny and curiosity about her life behind the scenes, which is why her jarring statement on Monday came as all the more as a surprise.
Speaking to the ICAC inquiry, Berejiklian, 50, said she had been in a “close, personal relationship,” with Daryl from 2015 until just a few months ago.
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“When I was asked to support this inquiry it became apparent to me that I should have absolutely no contact anymore and I ceased all contact,” she told the inquiry.
She added that their relationship wasn’t generally known among MPs, with the pair seeking to keep it private to avoid any awkwardness.
“More substantially, I’m a very private person and I didn’t feel the relationship had sufficient substance for it to be made public,” she said.
Gladys Berejiklian has admitted to sharing a “close, personal relationship” with former NSW MP Daryl Maguire.
(Getty)She added that while she was aware Daryl had business interests in conjunction with his role, that she had assumed he had disclosed those interests at the appropriate times.
“Can I say I would never ever turn a blind eye from any responsibility I had to disclose any wrongdoing that I saw or any activity that I thought was not in keeping with what a member of parliament should be doing,” she said.
Who is Daryl Maguire?
Daryl Maguire was an MP for Wagga Wagga, representing the Liberal Party from 1999 to 2018.
In July 2018, he quit the Liberal Party after he admitted that he had sought payment over a property deal.
That same month, he was drawn into an inquiry regarding possible corruption involving the former Canterbury Council.
Ms Berejiklian has told a corruption injury she was in a “close personal” relationship with her former colleague Daryl Maguire for several years.
(Image: parliament.nsw.gov.au)Does Daryl Maguire have a family?
Daryl Maguire has two children with Maureen Maguire, to whom he was married, according to a 2009 post from the NSW Liberal Party Facebook page.
It’s unclear whether he and Maureen are still together.
Daryl has two children with Maureen Maguire.
(Facebook)What happened between Daryl Maguire and Gladys Berejiklian?
During the October 2020 inquiry, Gadys admitted that she and Daryl had shared a close relationship for several years.
She claimed she was only aware of his business interests to the extent where he would disclose them at the appropriate times.
“I would suggest that I was either not interested or I thought what he was raising with me was fanciful, he was a big talker,” she told the inquiry.
She added that she was “an independent woman who is proud of her independence and anybody else’s finances would be completely immaterial to me.”
She ceased contact with Daryl after she was asked to support the inquiry.
Gadys claims she took a tough approach when she was asked to support the inquiry investigating Daryl.
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