ICAC hears Daryl Maguire ‘had the ear’ of Gladys Berejiklian

A top bureaucrat has told the ICAC it was known through government that disgraced MP Daryl Maguire “had the ear” of Gladys Berejiklian.

Daryl Maguire “had the ear” of Gladys Berejiklian when she was Premier, the Independent Commission Against Corruption has heard.

A senior public servant also believed Ms Berejiklian had a particular interest in two projects championed by Mr Maguire, her then-secret lover.

Appearing before the ICAC for a second time, Department of Regional NSW Secretary Gary Barnes said there was an “atypical” interest in government about finalising a $5.5 million grant to a Wagga Wagga gun club.

He had inferred that Mr Maguire was “hassling” then-Premier Berejiklian and other government staff about the proposal, after it had been approved by cabinet’s expenditure review committee.

Mr Barnes also told the inquiry that a second proposal – to build a “lavish recital hall” for the Riverina Conservatorium of Music would have been a bad use of government funds.

In his role, Mr Barnes was asked to work on both proposals.

Greg Barns (right) arrives at ICAC in Sydney. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Bianca De Marchi

In one email from May 2017, tendered to the ICAC, Mr Barnes said that he wanted to “pull out all stops” to deliver for the Premier, Deputy Premier John Barilaro, and the government.

In the email, he expressed his concern that the Premier may have thought his team had been “sitting on” the Australian Clay Target Association grant for a year.

“I didn’t want anyone to perceive that we were, in any way, deliberately slowing things down that we were moving along,” he told the ICAC.

Separately, Mr Barnes said he did not support a proposal to spend $20 million on building a “world class” recital hall for the Riverina Conservatorium of Music (RCM).

Mr Maguire issued a press release in February 2018 announcing that the relocation of the Riverina Conservatorium of Music had been confirmed, and that it would include a “world class music recital space”.

The press release was issued by Mr Maguire about two weeks after Ms Berejiklian wrote to her secret lover confirming the government would look at moving the RCM.

Mr Barnes said Mr Maguire’s press release was “inaccurate” but said Ms Berejiklian’s letter had reflected the government’s decision-making process.

Mr Barnes told the ICAC that if he had known Ms Berejiklian was in a relationship with Mr Maguire, he would have “immediately” sought advice on the matter.

Mr Maguire will face the ICAC for a public grilling on Thursday, before Ms Berejiklian is scheduled to appear on Friday and Monday. She denies any wrongdoing.