‘Long live Gladys’: shock, anger over bombshell resignation
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian’s bombshell resignation has sent a shockwave through Sydney and NSW with supporters paying tribute to her outside her home and office.
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NSW woke to another day in lockdown, but this time without a leader as Gladys Berejiklian’s resignation continued to send shockwaves through the state.
Supporters were quick to leave tributes at her Northbridge office, like flowers, heartfelt letters and some even shed tears.
In her electorate of Willoughby locals were devastated and disappointed to lose not only their beloved Premier, but their MP of 18 years.
Lucy Lennon, 21, stopped by Ms Berejiklian’s office to take a selfie with friends after the announcement.
She said Gladys got her and other young women engaged in politics.
“I was very upset that she’s going. She is such a great role model for females and such a great member for Willoughby,” Ms Lennon said.
“Young people definitely likes Gladys especially with the 11am press conference she really engaged us … with Gladys people are very much behind her.”
Ms Lennon said she wasn’t fully across the details of the ICAC investigation, but said now was not a good time for Gladys to resign.
Celebs from across the entertainment industry have also come out in support of Gladys.
Movie star Russell Crowe, who is working on a film overseas, thanked the Premier for her work during the pandemic.
“Personally, I’d like to thank Gladys for her tireless work through a very difficult time,” his statement said.
“What a tough job. Thanks for the effort you expended & the stress you endured. You led from the front. With perspective, history will define your tenure kindly.”
Personally, I’d like to thank @GladysB for her tireless work through a very difficult time. What a tough job. Thanks for the effort you expended & the stress you endured. You led from the front. With perspective, history will define your tenure kindly.
— Russell Crowe (@russellcrowe) October 1, 2021
Fitness guru Michelle Bridges also used her platform to thank Ms Berejiklian for her work.
“I’m actually really gutted to see this lady go. Gladys you had a frickin' hard job,” Ms Bridges said.
She also appeared to support the Premier regarding the allegations of corruption against her and former boyfriend Daryl Maguire.
“To the situation, I could say more regarding wolves in sheep's clothing … and those who circle around those who believe and trust who they think are honest people,” she said.
Across the state, members of the Berejiklian fan club took to social media in an outpouring of support and messages of heartbreak.
“I haven’t slept or eaten since our beautiful Premier resigned, the tears won’t stop,” one committed fan said.
REVEALED: The contenders to become NSW’s new Premier
TRANSCRIPT: Read Gladys Berejiklian’s resignation statement
COMMENT: Crushing end as Gladys’s worst fear comes true
OPINION: Readers have their say on Berejiklian’s resignation
CLENNELL:Gladys needs look in mirror over downfall
Thousands of weekend Telegraph readers sent in messages and comments with their support, most believing the ICAC investigation came at a bad time for the state.
In a poll on Friday afternoon, 68 per cent of readers said Ms Berejiklian should not have resigned.
“This is not fair. I will miss your wonderful work to help NSW,” one reader said.
“Gladys you have done an amazing job even when the decisions you had to make were unpopular,” another said.
Devastated locals will be given the task of electing a new member for Willoughby as soon as a by-election can be held, but judging by the outpouring of support, locals aren’t too keen on giving up their MP of 18 years.
“Long live Gladys,” one sign said, while dozens of hand written letters from supporters were pushed under the door.
Some keen supporters even stopped to take selfies in front of the office, memorialising the moment their favourite Premier dramatically left office.
Passers-by outside of Ms Berejiklian’s office told Sky News of their annoyance at the perceived double standards of her resignation.
“Women always cop it,” one punter said.
“(It) makes me want to cry. She’s led us through a really difficult time, we’re in a global pandemic and she’s led us with strength and integrity and I‘m devastated that she’s gone,” another said.
Signs taped to her Northbridge office proclaim: “NSW swindled,” and “we love you Gladys”.
Once hailed as “the woman who saved Australia”, Ms Berejiklian on Friday said she had no choice but to step down from the job she loved owing to an ICAC investigation.
‘No option’ but to quit
Gladys Berejiklian declared she had “no option” other than to resign after becoming the subject of an ICAC inquiry when she resigned on Friday.
She repeated her previous statements that any minister under investigation by the ICAC must quit “to maintain the integrity of the public office … while an investigation was completed”.
But Ms Berejiklian said that merely “standing aside” was not an option.
“The people of this state need certainty as to who their leader is during the challenging times of the pandemic,” she said.
“I cannot predict how long it will take the ICAC to complete this investigation, let alone deliver a report in circumstances where I was first called to give evidence in a public hearing nearly 12 months ago.”
Ms Berejiklian will also resign as the member for Willoughby, sparking a by-election in the blue-riband north shore Liberal seat.
The outgoing Premier has denied wrongdoing and will fight to clear her name.
“History will demonstrate that I’ve always executed my duties again with the highest level of integrity for the benefit of the people of NSW,” she said.
“The issues which it (ICAC) is investigating are historic matters that have already been the subject of numerous attacks on me by political opponents in the last 12 months.”
She said the resignation “could not occur at a worse time” and took a veiled swipe at the ICAC for announcing the public hearing into her “during one of the most challenging times in the state’s history”.
In her resignation statement, Ms Berejiklian thanked “the thousands of our frontline heroes who’ve kept us safe and kept us going during the darkest days in our state’s history”.
“Nothing that we can say or do will be able to demonstrate the significance all of our frontline workers have had during this difficult time,” she said.
“Most importantly, I want to thank you, the people of NSW. When the chips were down in the past few years, in particular during the drought or the bushfires and now Covid, we stood alongside each other.”
Liberals knew there was something afoot when the Premier cancelled an appearance at an event for 1000 party members with just an hour’s notice. Friday’s meeting of crisis cabinet was also delayed, with ministers unsure why.
The starter’s gun has now been fired on a three-day race to determine the next premier, with Treasurer Dominic Perrottet and Planning Minister Rob Stokes emerging as early frontrunners.
Ms Berejiklian announced her resignation an hour after the ICAC announced it would investigate her conduct between 2012 and 2018.
The resignation will take effect from when the Liberal Party elects a new leader on Tuesday.
Ms Berejiklian declared she had “no regrets during her time in public life” except for not being able to “finish the job to ensure the people of NSW transition to live freely out of Covid”.
She said serving as Premier had been “the greatest privilege of my life”.
Ms Berejiklian’s resignation marks the third time the corruption watchdog has claimed the scalp of a Liberal premier, following Nick Greiner in 1992 and Barry O’Farrell in 2014.
The ICAC will probe whether Ms Berejiklian engaged in conduct which constituted a breach of public trust, in relation to her former lover Daryl Maguire.
The investigation will include an examination of grants given to two organisations – the Wagga Wagga Australian Clay Target Association in 2016-17, and the Riverina Conservatorium of Music in 2018. The ICAC will also investigate whether Ms Berejiklian’s conduct was “liable to allow or encourage the occurrence of corrupt conduct by Mr Maguire”.
Further hearings in the ICAC’s Operation Keppel will continue to investigate Mr Maguire’s conduct.
The public hearings are expected to run for 10 days.
The ICAC has announced it will hold a public inquiry on Monday, October 18 relating to Ms Berejiklian and whether her conduct had involved a breach of public trust.
Premier quits amid strong polls
Premier Gladys Berejiklian’s shock resignation came as polls showed strong support from the people of NSW for her handling of the pandemic and bushfires.
“She was still popular as Premier, as our last Newspoll showed,” head of polling at YouGov Campbell White said.
The Newspoll for The Australian less than two weeks ago showed 56 per cent of voters felt she was handling the pandemic well. At the height of the pandemic in June last year her approval rating was at almost 80 per cent.
A poll of 1600 NSW voters in NSW conducted in the last week of July by Utting Research showed 56 per cent were satisfied with Ms Berejiklian’s handling of the crisis compared with just 37 per cent who were happy with Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
She said: “My resignation as Premier could not occur at a worse time, but the timing is completely outside of my control as the ICAC has chosen to take this action during the most challenging weeks of the most challenging times in the state’s history.”
Mr White said: “Now we have a relatively new Labor leader and a new Premier, this completely resets politics in NSW.”
For many people across NSW the loss of a trusted Premier as the state looks to reopen again brought a sense of loss and bewilderment.
Former NSW premier Mike Baird said: “I am totally devastated like many in NSW today. Gladys has led with passion tenacity and strength. We will miss her.”
Others posted their views on her Facebook page. Joanne Stanmore from Long Jetty wrote: “That is so sad. I think you have done a fantastic job Gladys during these hard Covid-19 times. You have been there for NSW and you will be sadly missed.”
And Deborah Brooks from Manly wrote: “ I fully concur and I’ve never voted Liberal.”
Jill Cook wrote: “Feel very sorry for our Premier, she has done a wonderful job for the last two years, bushfires, floods and Covid. Very sad day for NSW, and our best Premier for a long time! You will be missed!
Timm Mayers wrote: “So much respect for this statement and this woman!”
Carla from Bankstown, the alter ego of comedian Ben James whose Instagram posts as Ms Berejiklian’s receptionist have gone viral, said: “Gladys leaving because of all these allegations is just out of control but. It’s a sad day for the state of NSW as Gladys has gotten us through some of the toughest times, like the droughts, the bushfires and now the pandemics!”
Support from colleagues, past and present
Two former prime minister’s and Ms Berejiklian’s former boss have united in support for the outgoing Premier.
Former PM Malcolm Turnbull said the country had lost one of its best Premiers.
“Gladys has been a dedicated reformer and dynamic builder. She led the State bravely and tirelessly through the bushfires and the pandemic. Thank you Gladys,” he said.
Another former PM Tony Abbott said he admired her for not “clinging to office”.
“Gladys Berejiklian can hold her head up high, despite today, and be proud of her leadership of our state. She has been the one premier who’s taken freedom seriously even in a pandemic,” he said.
Former NSW Premier Mike Baird, who Ms Berejiklian served under as deputy leader, said he was devastated.
“I am totally devastated like many in NSW today. Gladys has lead with passion, tenacity and strength. We will miss her.”
NSW Nationals leader and deputy premier John Barilaro said: “I have served as the Deputy Premier to Gladys Berejiklian for almost five years and in that time she has led this State through some of its darkest days.
“Everyone has the right to defend their name and I wish Gladys all the best for her future.
“Any speculation regarding Liberal Party leadership remains an issue for the Liberal Party.
“The NSW Nationals remain committed to a strong and stable NSW Coalition Government.”
Environment Minister Matt Kean said it was an “incredibly sad day for NSW”.
“Gladys Berejiklian is a remarkable person. Over the last four and half years, she has led NSW with dignity, determination and poise,” Mr Kean said in a statement.
“NSW is a better place because of Gladys Berejiklian. Today, women in this state are able to decide what happens with their bodies because of Gladys Berejiklian.
“Today, our citizens can spend more time with their friends and families because of Gladys Berejiklian – the opal card, the metros, the highways are her achievements.
“Future generations of Australians are going to enjoy a better planet and a more prosperous society because of the reforms she alone was able to achieve.
“But most of all, NSW is a better place because of the way she touched each of our lives: day after day through the Black Summer bushfires and this pandemic she has been there for NSW.”
NSW Opposition Leader Chris Minns thanked Ms Berejiklian for her service but said the government must focus on getting the state through the pandemic.
“From day one I have acknowledged the Premier’s efforts steering our state through the Covid crisis last year. For all our disagreements, I never doubted Gladys’ dedication to New South Wales, or her work in the service of it. I thank her for her service,” he said.
“There will be other occasions to carefully examine the detail of these revelations and consider their impact on the future of our state. It is right and important that we do so.
“The focus of the NSW Liberal-National Government right now needs to be on getting the state through the Covid-19 emergency.
“For the people of New South Wales the Covid crisis is still very real, much of the state is locked down, businesses are shut, schools are closed, families are separated, hospitals are under pressure.
“The focus must be to work on behalf of the people of New South Wales first and foremost, even in the midst of a leadership contest.”
ICAC investigation
ICAC will investigate if she breached public trust in relation to her personal relationship with former MP Daryl Maguire.
The corruption watchdog said on Friday it would investigate whether Ms Berejiklian’s relationship with Mr Maguire created a conflict of interest that resulted in her breaching the public’s trust by awarding grants to a clay target association and a music conservatorium in Wagga Wagga.
It would also investigate whether the Premier breached the public trust by allegedly failing to report conduct by Mr Maguire that may have been corrupt.
The ICAC also said it would investigate whether she was “liable to allow or encourage the occurrence of corrupt conduct by Mr Maguire”.
The investigation will be a continuation of an ongoing probe into Mr Maguire‘s conduct as an MP.
It was during public hearings into that matter that it was revealed that Ms Berejiklian had been in a secret five-year relationship with Mr Maguire.
Ms Berejiklian has been an MP since 2003 and Premier since 2017.
She is the third NSW Premier to resign as a result of an ICAC investigation since the corruption watchdog‘s creation in 1988.
The NSW Treasurer is considering a run to replace the outgoing Premier as he paid tribute to “a colleague and friend”.
Dominic Perrottet along with Rob Stokes and Stuart Ayres are expected to throw their hats in the ring.
“I would like to offer my gratitude and thanks to Gladys Berejiklian for the leadership and strength she has shown throughout her career and especially during one of the most challenging periods any leader could ever encounter,” he said.
“Gladys has worked tirelessly before and through the pandemic to protect the people of NSW from COVID-19 and to ensure our great State remains strong and resilient.”
Mr Perrottet said Gladys cared about the welfare and wellbeing of the state, and the government must focus on reopening.
“The interests of the people of NSW must always come first, and the priority for the Government is to ensure we continue to keep people safe, and that we re-open the economy and get people back to work, kids back to school, and life back to normal as fast as possible,” he said.
“Over the coming days I will be talking to my family and colleagues about how I can best serve the people of NSW to continue to achieve these aims.”
“Finally, I want to again pay tribute to one of the most outstanding leaders our state has ever had. Gladys is both a colleague and a friend and her decision is a loss to public life in NSW.”
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