Gladys Berejiklian fires up over ICAC questions

Gladys Berejiklian has been hammered again in parliament over her relationship with an MP. But there was one question she wasn’t having.

Gladys Berejiklian has again been hammered in the NSW parliament with questions over her involvement in an affair with an MP under a corruption inquiry.

Labor leader Jodi McKay tried to goad the Premier into admitting she should be considered a “sounding board for corruption”.

“The question is offensive and wrong in every way,” the Premier replied forcefully.

Ms McKay stood up again, and asked the Premier why she didn’t report her knowledge of her ex-lover Daryl Maguire trying to clear a debt through a dodgy land deal at Badgerys Creek.

“I refer again to this question, which is wrong, and highly offensive, and I say to the leader of the opposition, either withdraw it, or say it outside,” the Premier said, pointing to the hallway.

NSW Labor Leader Jodi McKay grilled the Premier during question time.

The Opposition Leader persisted, taking the Premier to task over statements she made to ICAC that Ms McKay found inconsistent.

“You said you didn’t know Iwan Sunito – but you did. You said you didn’t know what UWE (United World Enterprises) was – but you did. You said you didn’t know your office was used to lobby property developers – but you did. You said you didn’t know Daryl Maguire stood to profit from a property deal he was lobbying for – but you did,” Ms McKay said.

“How can the people of NSW trust you?”

The Premier fired back: “I don’t know why she’s asked me the question, because she’s asked me the question and answered herself. She already has the answer, so I don’t know why she asked me.

“The opposition can clutch at any straws they like. The truth is I have done nothing wrong, and the people of NSW know it.”

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian defended herself in parliament.

Helen Dalton, a member from the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party, accused the Premier of lying to ICAC when she told the inquiry she didn’t know what United World Enterprises was.

In Monday’s testimony, the Premier was asked about UWE, a company to which her ex-lover, former Wagga Wagga MP Daryl Maguire, had financial ties.

Ms Berejiklian told the ICAC she didn’t remember what UWE was until her memory was refreshed in a previous, private hearing.

“I remember asking you what the UWE was, because I didn’t know what it was, and I didn’t remember what it was, yep,” the Premier told the ICAC.

The accusation from Ms Dalton drew a fiery response from the Premier.

“Can I say that I provided assistance as a witness on Monday in great detail. I was forthright, direct, much to my personal detriment but I had to do it because it is in the public interest,” Ms Berejiklian shouted.

Revelations of the Premier’s affair with former MP Daryl Maguire have landed her in hot water. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Bianca De Marchi

“And I say to the people of NSW that every day that I have been in this place, since 2003 I‘ve worked hard. I’ve worked my guts out to the people; I will continue to do that.

“I never have and never will do anything wrong but I will work my guts out for the people of this great state!”

The fiery Question Time session came after Ms Berejiklian survived two separate votes of no confidence on Wednesday, both in the upper and the lower houses of NSW parliament.