Gladys Berejiklian Maintains Innocence On ICAC Evidence Day 2

Former New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian has maintained her innocence and asserted she intends to “get on with my life” after ending her second day of giving proof on the ICAC Operation Keppel public inquiry.

The general public inquiry adjourned on Monday afternoon, with Berejiklian chatting with the media briefly after giving proof.

“Each choice I made, by way of the general public workplace I held, was in the very best pursuits of the neighborhood and the general public,” she stated, sustaining her innocence. “I stand by that right now stronger than ever, and I simply wish to say to all people that it’s been my honour and privilege to serve you in my function in public life.

“And naturally, once more, each choice I took was within the public’s finest curiosity.”

Berejiklian’s protestation of her innocence comes after an intense day of proof — together with an admission that she ignored her former chief of workers Sarah Cruickshank’s recommendation to finish the connection after Daryl Maguire gave proof to ICAC in 2018.

“I made it recognized that I used to be near him, it was off-again, on-again,” she stated, unable to recall if she advised Cruickshank the connection was “ongoing” on the time.

Cruickshank’s lawyer went as far as to claim that Berejiklian was mendacity on this occasion.

“I recommend to you, Ms Berejiklian, that you simply’re not being trustworthy in regards to the dialogue you had with (Sarah) Cruickshank,” lawyer Hugh White stated.

“I’ve been trustworthy in what I assumed I bear in mind what I do bear in mind, and I recognize that she has a unique recollection,” Berejiklian replied.

The information comes after Cruickshank advised ICAC final week that she recalled a telephone name in 2018 during which Berejiklian confirmed her relationship with Maguire ended earlier than she grew to become Premier. Regardless of being suggested to finish the connection, Berejiklian replied “no” when requested if it was “fascinating, if not required” to declare it as a possible battle of curiosity.

Moreover, textual content message proof introduced on Monday confirmed Daryl Maguire clearly asking Berejiklian to get a personal telephone. “You could get a personal telephone,” Maguire wrote in a textual content in 2018.

Nonetheless, Berejiklian asserted many colleagues advised she ought to do that as she was “somebody who by no means had a separate telephone,” which meant she believed it was extra of a normal privateness difficulty — not something sinister.

“I didn’t assume any wrongdoing and I assumed that the place he had any non-public pursuits of any description that they’d be disclosed within the applicable manner,” she stated.

Monday concludes Gladys Berejiklian’s second and closing day of giving proof to ICAC relating to her relationship with Daryl Maguire.