Concerned staffers and hard conversations: the ‘difficult’ moment Berejiklian discussed relationship

A former political staffer for Gladys Berejiklian had a “difficult” conversation with her about her relationship with Daryl Maguire late last year, a NSW ICAC inquiry heard this morning.

Former chief of staff Neil Harley said that it was an uncomfortable conversation because the then-NSW premier was “inherently a very private person”.

“We didn’t go into detail about when [the relationship] … commenced and when it finished,” he said. “We talked in broad terms about the nature of the relationship.”

Following this discussion, he later found that the relationship had “continued on for a lot longer” than he had anticipated. Berejiklian told ICAC last October that she had been in a “close personal relationship” with Maguire between 2015 and 2018. 

Harley agreed that the news of the relationship between Berejiklian and the former MP for Wagga Wagga was a surprise.

“I cannot recall a single occasion when Ms Berejiklian raised [it] with me, Mr Maguire or the Wagga Wagga electorate,” he said. 

ICAC is investigating the circumstances under which a total of $35.5 million was advanced to two projects in Maguire’s electorate at a time when he was in an undisclosed relationship with Berejiklian, who was NSW treasurer when it started, before rising to premier. She has denied any wrongdoing and will start giving evidence on Friday. 

Harley told ICAC he was concerned about a proposal to give $20 million to the Riverina Conservatorium of Music — in Maguire’s electorate — because it may have been seen as a political announcement. The conservatorium had already been given $10 million to relocate its premises. He was also concerned about the timing of the announcement because the area was experiencing a severe drought at the time.  

But when asked about Berejiklian, he said he had never met a politician “more fiercely committed to public service”.  

Questions this morning from Berejiklian’s counsel Sophie Callan SC indicate that the defence team may be shifting the focus of discussion to gender.

Before Harley gave evidence, Callan raised a number of procedural issues with assistant commissioner Ruth McColl SC. She asked McColl if it was fair that “seven men” had given evidence about Berejiklian’s secret relationship with Maguire and the existence of a possible conflict of interest.  

By framing it as a matter of gender, Callan seemed to be indicating that part of the defence strategy could be to paint the former premier as a feminist martyr unfairly hounded out of office by her male enemies.   

Former premier Mike Baird, serving minister Stuart Ayres and many senior bureaucrats have already given evidence to ICAC that the relationship should have been disclosed and that they would have treated the grant applications differently had they been aware of it. 

On Monday afternoon former deputy premier John Barilaro gave evidence, indicating that had Berejiklian disclosed her relationship with Maguire decisions about funding projects in his electorate could have been different. 

“I’ve seen many of us declare conflicts of interest for just knowing someone because we worked with someone, or have been an associate with someone, let alone being in a relationship,” he said.  

The former Nationals leader, who is not accused of wrongdoing, told Callan that he “would have” disclosed relationships of his own. 

“What about any other intimate personal relationships?” Callan asked.

“That’s a hard question because my relations are with my family,” Barilaro said. “That’s a hard one to disclose.”

Two other former Berejiklian staffers, Brad Burden and Sarah Cruickshank, will give evidence this afternoon. None of today’s witnesses are accused of wrongdoing. Maguire will appear on Thursday and Berejiklian on Friday and Monday.