ICAC’s Gladys Berejiklian report delayed until after NSW election

A NSW corruption watchdog investigation into the conduct of former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian won’t finalise its report until after the March state election.

Former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian. Picture: John Grainger

A NSW corruption watchdog investigation into the conduct of former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian won’t finalise its report until after the March state election, with an eminent Sydney silk saying the decision will probably “undermine confidence” in the organisation.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the Independent Commission Against Corruption said “substantial parts” of the report had been drafted, but it was unlikely assistant commissioner Ruth McColl would have completed the report until the “second quarter” of this year.

The NSW election will be held on March 25.

The Operation Keppel probe began investigating the potentially corrupt conduct of former Liberal MP Daryl Maguire in mid 2020, before expanding its scope to take in Ms Berejiklian after revealing she had been in a “close personal” relationship with the member for Wagga Wagga.

ICAC’s confirmation that Ms Berejiklian had been drawn into the corruption inquiry forced her resignation in October 2021. The subsequent public hearings explored her role in the provision or promise of millions of dollars worth of taxpayer funding to two projects in Mr Maguire’s electorate.

Geoffrey Watson SC, the Sydney silk who appeared as counsel assisting for ICAC during the inquiry into the Obeid family’s corrupt $30m gain on coal exploration licences, said the delays in handing down the report was “contrary to established practice”.

“It’s very disappointing and will undermine confidence in the organisation,” Mr Watson told The Australian.

But he rejected the suggestion that ICAC had delayed the release of the report so as to not influence the outcome of the state election.

“I can’t see how it would have an influence on the election. Seems to be a long bow to draw,” he said.

The release of the potentially explosive report has now been delayed twice since the inquiry ended in public examinations in November 2021, with ICAC extending the engagement of Ms McColl beyond her initial appointment until October 31 last year.

“Substantial parts of the report have been drafted,” the ICAC statement said.

“At the same time, it must be recognised that the report concerns complex matters of law and fact, two public inquiries which proceeded over 30 days, over 2800 pages of transcript, 516 exhibits comprising approximately 10,600 pages and 957 pages of submissions.”