ICAC Inspector Gail Furness to investigate Gladys Berejiklian corruption findings delay
The official tasked with overseeing the conduct of ICAC will look into why it took 18 months to release the corruption findings.
The official tasked with overseeing the conduct of the NSW corruption watchdog is investigating the 18 month delay in releasing its report on Gladys Berejiklian’s corrupt conduct while Premier of NSW.
The Independent Commission Against Corruption ruled on Thursday the former Premier had repeatedly breached public trust and concealed the activities of former MP Daryl Maguire, with whom she had been in an undisclosed relationship for years.
ICAC Inspector Gail Furness, whose job is to oversee the operations and conduct of the commission, is poised to launch an investigation into why the watchdog took so long to finalise the Operation Keppel report.
“The Inspector is currently determining the scope of an investigation around the delay in the furnishing of the Operation Keppel report to parliament,” the Office of the Inspector of Independent Commission Against Corruption said in a statement.
“The inspector intends to make a special report to parliament at the conclusion of her investigation, which she will recommend be made public.”
The head of the Operation Keppel investigation, Commissioner Ruth McColl SC, was paid more than $1.1m for her three years of work.
There has been bipartisan criticism of the delay, such that the NSW government announced new laws which would require ICAC to publish deadlines for probes.
It has been two-and-half years since Ms Berejiklian gave evidence to ICAC that she had a “close personal relationship” with the former Wagga Wagga MP, and more than one-and-a-half years since Ms Berejiklian resigned as NSW Premier, in September 2021.
Ms Berejiklian has since taken an executive role at Optus, which said following the findings they had “no further comment to make”.
She is expected to appeal any corrupt finding and her legal team is currently examining the two volumes of the report.
ICAC stopped short of recommending criminal charges be pursued against Ms Berejiklian, despite multiple conclusions that she behaved corruptly and partially exercised her functions as a minister, and as premier, during a lengthy career in public office.
Alternatively, the corrupt findings against Mr Maguire were regarded as severe enough for ICAC to seek advice on whether criminal charges should be sought.
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