‘Megabucks’ MP Daryl Maguire falls on his sword and prompts by-election in Wagga
DISGRACED Liberal MP Daryl Maguire has finally officially resigned as an MP for Wagga three weeks after being exposed at an anti-corruption hearing touting for kickbacks from Chinese property developers — with a bit of persuasion.
NSW
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FORMER premier Barry O’Farrell has stepped in to convince disgraced Liberal MP Daryl Maguire to resign from his Wagga Wagga electorate.
It follows Mr Maguire being exposed at an anti-corruption hearing touting for secret kickbacks from a Chinese developer.
The resignation clears the way for a hard-fought by-election in the country seat next month, which is expected to be a litmus test for the state election in March next year.
Mr Maguire tendered his formal resignation letter yesterday afternoon, two weeks after Premier Gladys Berejiklian said he would be gone before State Parliament returns next Tuesday.
The longstanding MP collected another $12,000 of his taxpayer-funded salary by clinging on.
On July 13 secret tapes played at the ICAC revealed him discussing collecting “megabucks” from wealthy Chinese property developer Country Garden for doing property deals.
While Mr Maguire immediately stepped down as a parliamentary secretary that night, and then later resigned from the Liberal Party, he had vowed to remain in Parliament until the March 2019 state election.
The stalemate ended only when Ms Berejiklian got help from the former premier — her political mentor and also a friend of Mr Maguire’s — to help pressure the Wagga Wagga MP to leave the parliament.
It is expected the by-election will be held in September, with the government bracing itself for a strong swing against it, despite holding Wagga Wagga on a comfortable 12.9 per cent margin.
A senior Liberal source said the government was preparing to work hard to retain the seat.
“While by-elections are always tough for governments, we have a good record there, especially with the hospital, compared to the ALP,” he said.
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“What Daryl Maguire did was Daryl Maguire, not the government.”
The ALP has already preselected local councillor and practising psychologist Dan Hayes, but the Liberals have not yet preselected a candidate, despite strong interest from the National Party in running for the seat.
The state government has been hit by large by-election swings in its seven years in office, including losing the once-safe seats of Miranda and Orange.
The Shooters, Fishers and Farmers party is also expected to field a candidate.
Opposition Leader Luke Foley said the “only reason” Mr Maguire left was because Labor had vowed to expel him from State Parliament under a rarely used standing order.
He said Mr Maguire was the 12th Liberal MP to have resigned since 2011 under a cloud following an ICAC investigation.
Mr O’Farrell was also forced to resign after misleading ICAC over a gift of a $3000 bottle of wine in 2014.
“The people of Wagga have had a lame duck for a member because the Liberals did everything in their power to avoid a by-election,” Mr Foley said.
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