The former New South Wales premier Gladys Berejiklian has maintained she served the public interest “at all times” while in office, hours after the corruption watchdog handed down a damning report.
In a brief statement released about five hours after the Independent Commission Against Corruption’s (Icac) findings were made public, Berejiklian said the almost 700-page report “is currently being examined by my legal team”.
“Serving the people of NSW was an honour and privilege,” Berejiklian said. “At all times I have worked my hardest in the public interest. Nothing in this report demonstrates otherwise.
“Thank you to members of the public for their incredible support. This will sustain me always.”
On Thursday morning, Icac’s Operation Keppel – which was launched in 2020 to investigate the conduct of the former Wagga Wagga MP Daryl Maguire then later widened to include Berejiklian – concluded the former premier “breached public trust” and “substantially breached the ministerial code”.
The findings relate to government grants awarded to two organisations in Wagga Wagga – the Australian Clay Target Association and the Riverina Conservatorium of Music – being advanced by Maguire. Berejiklian “engaged in serious corrupt conduct” in the exercising of her official functions in relation to the grants.
Icac found the former premier’s failure to declare a personal conflict of interest in relation to the grants was a breach of public trust. Additionally, Icac found Berejiklian engaged in corrupt conduct by failing to report suspicions that Maguire had engaged in corrupt conduct.
However, Icac has not recommended charges be pursued against Berejiklian, noting the legal obstacles and distinction between corrupt and criminal conduct.
Berejiklian’s reaction to the findings of corruption followed senior Liberal figures coming out in support of the former premier on Thursday morning.
Mark Speakman, the NSW opposition leader who previously served as a minister under Berejiklian’s premiership, pointed out Icac did not “suggest that there has been any arguable breach of the criminal law” by her, nor that she “received any personal financial benefit”.
“She was an outstanding MP for NSW. She was an incredibly popular premier because she wanted what was best for the people of NSW,” Speakman said.
However, Speakman acknowledged the gravity of the findings. “I think we [were] all gobsmacked when (revelations of Berejiklian’s relationship with Maguire) emerge[d].
“In hindsight, I would have expected as a minister for that to be disclosed. There are findings beyond that that may be up to legal challenge,” Speakman said.
Liberal party factional ally Matt Kean tweeted: “So it has taken Icac two years to tell us that Gladys Berejiklian has not broken the law.”
Chris Minns, the freshly elected Labor premier of NSW, did not seize on the findings to criticise Berejiklian, instead defending her handling of the Covid pandemic and lamenting the drawn-out process of releasing the Icac findings.
“Firstly, this report has taken way too long. I think that has been generally recognised across the political spectrum in NSW. The second point here is that nothing in this report takes away, I don’t think, from premier Berejiklian’s handling of the Covid emergency, which I still regard as being excellent,” he said.
“It is important, however, for all politicians in NSW and anyone in public life or positions of leadership to understand we must manage conflicts of interest and declare them,” Minns said.
Berejiklian, who resigned as premier in October 2021 after the revelation Icac was investigating her, has since taken on a role in the corporate sector, joining Optus in February 2022 in a newly created executive role focused on increasing the telco’s usage among businesses.
Optus, which is owned by Singapore Telecommunications, said in a statement that it acknowledged the report, but would not provide further comment.
“Optus acknowledges the Icac report published in relation to Gladys Berejiklian’s time serving as a member of the NSW parliament,” Optus said.
Additional reporting by Jonathan Barrett.
