ICAC says investigation into former MP Daryl Maguire is ongoing
The NSW corruption watchdog says its investigation into former MP Daryl Maguire - the ex-boyfriend of Premier Gladys Berejiklian - is still going
NSW
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Disgraced former Liberal MP Daryl Maguire remains under investigation, the corruption watchdog says, three months after it was due to hand down its preliminary submissions.
A statement published to the Independent Commission Against Corruption’s (ICAC) website yesterday confirmed Operation Keppel is ongoing, flagging possible additional public hearings on the matter.
It is the second time the ICAC has extended the inquiry, which revealed in a series of explosive public hearings that the former Wagga Wagga MP and Premier Gladys Berejiklian were in a “close, personal relationship” for several years.
The watchdog was supposed to deliver its submissions, outlining what findings the counsel assisting the commission could make, in December last year.
Instead the ICAC put its timeline on hold “pending the completion of some further investigative steps”.
It is alleged Mr Maguire (pictured) used his position in parliament to further his business dealings. Despite sacking Mr Maguire in 2018, Ms Berejiklian came under scrutiny after their secret relationship was revealed.
The Daily Telegraph was told Ms Berejiklian has not given further evidence to the ICAC after the dramatic public hearings last year. She has maintained she did nothing wrong and denies knowing any specifics about his dealings.
The ICAC announcement came the same day one of Mr Maguire’s associates had his own day in court on an unrelated matter. Alan Eldridge was dismissed as Wagga Wagga City Council’s general manager after claims he failed to declare a conflict of interest with a development involving his son. He has launched an unfair dismissal claim in the NSW Supreme Court after his $400,000 contract was cancelled by the council in early 2017.
The court on Tuesday heard councillors were concerned about the appearance of “jobs for the boys” and mounting media pressure that engulfed the council before his resignation. Mr Eldridge denies any wrongdoing.
Operation Keppel investigators, according to documents released by the ICAC, asked witnesses from Wagga about the relationship between Mr Maguire and Mr Eldridge.
There is no suggestion Mr Eldridge was involved in any of the allegations made against Mr Maguire.
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