Latest news with #OperationDasha
The Advertiser
8 hours ago
- Politics
- The Advertiser
Secret's out: premier's ex-partner misled watchdog
Findings that Daryl Maguire misled a corruption probe about a $48 million property development sale can be revealed after the ex-Liberal MP lost a bid to suppress them. The former member for Wagga Wagga, whose clandestine relationship with ex-NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian led to her political downfall, appeared at Sydney's Downing Centre Courthouse for the verdict on Friday. Magistrate Clare Farnan ruled that Maguire misled the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption while giving evidence during a hearing in July 2018. Immediately after handing down her decision, Maguire applied to suppress the finding. His barrister argued publicity about his guilt would prejudice a jury in an upcoming trial over an alleged visa fraud conspiracy expected to commence in September. The bid was opposed by the ABC and Nine but backed by federal prosecutors. Ms Farnan rejected Maguire's application. "The interests of the community in open justice is in my view not outweighed by Mr Maguire's interests," the magistrate said. The magistrate's reasons for determining Maguire's guilt are not yet clear after media and the former MP himself were caught in an administrative mix-up. Another court official on Friday adjourned the case to October only for the magistrate on another level to hand down her decision, without media present. At ICAC, Maguire was asked about what he expected to get out of the sale of an estimated $48 million property development in Campsie in Sydney's southwest. During the criminal hearing earlier in 2025, prosecutors claimed Maguire changed his evidence during questioning over claims he was not expected to be reimbursed. He will face a sentence hearing on August 15. ICAC grilled Maguire and others in 2018 under Operation Dasha, which probed allegations of corruption at the local council. The Wagga Wagga MP resigned from the Berejiklian government after giving evidence, before succumbing to pressure and quitting parliament altogether. ICAC opened a further probe into Maguire, exposing his secret romantic relationship with Ms Berejiklian in 2020. She also stood down from her role and was later found by ICAC to have breached public trust in failing to disclose the relationship, spanning at least five years while she was transport minister, treasurer and then premier. Findings that Daryl Maguire misled a corruption probe about a $48 million property development sale can be revealed after the ex-Liberal MP lost a bid to suppress them. The former member for Wagga Wagga, whose clandestine relationship with ex-NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian led to her political downfall, appeared at Sydney's Downing Centre Courthouse for the verdict on Friday. Magistrate Clare Farnan ruled that Maguire misled the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption while giving evidence during a hearing in July 2018. Immediately after handing down her decision, Maguire applied to suppress the finding. His barrister argued publicity about his guilt would prejudice a jury in an upcoming trial over an alleged visa fraud conspiracy expected to commence in September. The bid was opposed by the ABC and Nine but backed by federal prosecutors. Ms Farnan rejected Maguire's application. "The interests of the community in open justice is in my view not outweighed by Mr Maguire's interests," the magistrate said. The magistrate's reasons for determining Maguire's guilt are not yet clear after media and the former MP himself were caught in an administrative mix-up. Another court official on Friday adjourned the case to October only for the magistrate on another level to hand down her decision, without media present. At ICAC, Maguire was asked about what he expected to get out of the sale of an estimated $48 million property development in Campsie in Sydney's southwest. During the criminal hearing earlier in 2025, prosecutors claimed Maguire changed his evidence during questioning over claims he was not expected to be reimbursed. He will face a sentence hearing on August 15. ICAC grilled Maguire and others in 2018 under Operation Dasha, which probed allegations of corruption at the local council. The Wagga Wagga MP resigned from the Berejiklian government after giving evidence, before succumbing to pressure and quitting parliament altogether. ICAC opened a further probe into Maguire, exposing his secret romantic relationship with Ms Berejiklian in 2020. She also stood down from her role and was later found by ICAC to have breached public trust in failing to disclose the relationship, spanning at least five years while she was transport minister, treasurer and then premier. Findings that Daryl Maguire misled a corruption probe about a $48 million property development sale can be revealed after the ex-Liberal MP lost a bid to suppress them. The former member for Wagga Wagga, whose clandestine relationship with ex-NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian led to her political downfall, appeared at Sydney's Downing Centre Courthouse for the verdict on Friday. Magistrate Clare Farnan ruled that Maguire misled the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption while giving evidence during a hearing in July 2018. Immediately after handing down her decision, Maguire applied to suppress the finding. His barrister argued publicity about his guilt would prejudice a jury in an upcoming trial over an alleged visa fraud conspiracy expected to commence in September. The bid was opposed by the ABC and Nine but backed by federal prosecutors. Ms Farnan rejected Maguire's application. "The interests of the community in open justice is in my view not outweighed by Mr Maguire's interests," the magistrate said. The magistrate's reasons for determining Maguire's guilt are not yet clear after media and the former MP himself were caught in an administrative mix-up. Another court official on Friday adjourned the case to October only for the magistrate on another level to hand down her decision, without media present. At ICAC, Maguire was asked about what he expected to get out of the sale of an estimated $48 million property development in Campsie in Sydney's southwest. During the criminal hearing earlier in 2025, prosecutors claimed Maguire changed his evidence during questioning over claims he was not expected to be reimbursed. He will face a sentence hearing on August 15. ICAC grilled Maguire and others in 2018 under Operation Dasha, which probed allegations of corruption at the local council. The Wagga Wagga MP resigned from the Berejiklian government after giving evidence, before succumbing to pressure and quitting parliament altogether. ICAC opened a further probe into Maguire, exposing his secret romantic relationship with Ms Berejiklian in 2020. She also stood down from her role and was later found by ICAC to have breached public trust in failing to disclose the relationship, spanning at least five years while she was transport minister, treasurer and then premier. Findings that Daryl Maguire misled a corruption probe about a $48 million property development sale can be revealed after the ex-Liberal MP lost a bid to suppress them. The former member for Wagga Wagga, whose clandestine relationship with ex-NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian led to her political downfall, appeared at Sydney's Downing Centre Courthouse for the verdict on Friday. Magistrate Clare Farnan ruled that Maguire misled the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption while giving evidence during a hearing in July 2018. Immediately after handing down her decision, Maguire applied to suppress the finding. His barrister argued publicity about his guilt would prejudice a jury in an upcoming trial over an alleged visa fraud conspiracy expected to commence in September. The bid was opposed by the ABC and Nine but backed by federal prosecutors. Ms Farnan rejected Maguire's application. "The interests of the community in open justice is in my view not outweighed by Mr Maguire's interests," the magistrate said. The magistrate's reasons for determining Maguire's guilt are not yet clear after media and the former MP himself were caught in an administrative mix-up. Another court official on Friday adjourned the case to October only for the magistrate on another level to hand down her decision, without media present. At ICAC, Maguire was asked about what he expected to get out of the sale of an estimated $48 million property development in Campsie in Sydney's southwest. During the criminal hearing earlier in 2025, prosecutors claimed Maguire changed his evidence during questioning over claims he was not expected to be reimbursed. He will face a sentence hearing on August 15. ICAC grilled Maguire and others in 2018 under Operation Dasha, which probed allegations of corruption at the local council. The Wagga Wagga MP resigned from the Berejiklian government after giving evidence, before succumbing to pressure and quitting parliament altogether. ICAC opened a further probe into Maguire, exposing his secret romantic relationship with Ms Berejiklian in 2020. She also stood down from her role and was later found by ICAC to have breached public trust in failing to disclose the relationship, spanning at least five years while she was transport minister, treasurer and then premier.
ABC News
11 hours ago
- Politics
- ABC News
Former MP Daryl Maguire found guilty of giving false or misleading evidence at ICAC
Former Liberal MP Daryl Maguire has been found guilty of giving false or misleading evidence to the NSW corruption watchdog at a hearing in 2018, as it investigated the former Canterbury City Council. Maguire had denied wrongdoing, but prosecutors argued the former member for Wagga Wagga engaged in a "money making exercise" when he allegedly discussed a commission with a local councillor over a multimillion-dollar property deal. He appeared as a witness in Operation Dasha, the Independent Commission Against Corruption's (ICAC) investigation into allegations of corruption against councillors and whether they dishonestly exercised their official functions in relation to planning proposals. During his appearance at the public hearing, Maguire initially denied ever doing business with former councillor Michael Hawatt, or seeking payment for brokering a deal on behalf of a Chinese property developer. Magistrate Clare Farnan on Friday found him guilty of the single charge, following a hearing in the Local Court earlier this year. That outcome was delivered after apparent confusion about listing locations caused the parties to appear before a registrar in a different courtroom, who adjourned the case until September. The Downing Centre's lower level suffered flood damage due to a burst water main on Tuesday, and will remain shut for four weeks on the latest estimates. As a result, dozens of cases have had to be relocated to the nearby John Maddison Tower, including Mr Maguire's matter. When Magistrate Farnan delivered her decision, no media were in the courtroom, and Maguire's barrister Rebecca Gall applied for a non-publication order on the grounds of potential prejudice to a separate upcoming trial. Later in the afternoon, the magistrate put on the record that she had come into court in the morning expecting to deliver judgment. The magistrate said there was nothing "deliberate" about what occurred, and she had gone to "all the trouble I could" to have parties notified yesterday of the impending decision. She denied the application for a non-publication order, after hearing submissions from barrister Dauid Sibtain SC, representing the ABC and Fairfax. Magistrate Farnan said the case had already been the subject of media attention, and the interest of the community in open justice outweighed Mr Maguire's interests in the circumstances. At a hearing in late May, the court was told of intercepted phone calls between Maguire and Mr Hawatt in which the pair discussed the sale of a property on Canterbury Road at Campsie, in Sydney's inner south west. Maguire was recorded saying: "What have you got on your books? What is DA approved?". The pair then discussed the sale of the site of the former Harrison's Hardware store on Canterbury Road, for which a 300 unit development was proposed. Maguire and Mr Hawatt estimated the development to be worth up to $48 million, with Maguire asking: "What's the margin for you?". The court heard Mr Hawatt suggested a margin of between 1.5 and 2 per cent was likely, to which Mr Maguire replied: "1.5 per cent isn't enough divided by two, if you know what I mean." Deputy Senior Crown Prosecutor Phil Hogan argued the two were expecting to make money from the sale and that it would be divided equally between them. "The story that he'd prepared [for the ICAC] was, 'I'd never asked for a dollar, they never offered a dollar, nor would I ask for a dollar,'" Mr Hogan told the court. "The Crown says that statement is demonstrably misleading." Mr Hogan argued the communications between Maguire and Mr Hawatt amounted to an attempt to do business with the expectation they would both make money from that business.
The Advertiser
11 hours ago
- Politics
- The Advertiser
Guilty: premier's ex-partner misled corruption probe
Ex-Liberal MP Daryl Maguire has been found guilty of misleading a corruption probe about benefits expected from a $48 million property development sale. The former member for Wagga Wagga, whose clandestine relationship with ex-NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian led to her political downfall, appeared at Sydney's Downing Centre Courthouse for the verdict on Friday. Magistrate Clare Farnan found he misled the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption while giving evidence during a hearing in July 2018. Ms Farnan rejected a bid by Maguire's legal team to suppress the publication of the guilty verdict. "The interests of the community in open justice is in my view not outweighed by Mr Maguire's interests," she said. At ICAC, Maguire was asked about what he expected to get out of the sale of an estimated $48 million property development in Campsie in Sydney's southwest. During the criminal hearing earlier in 2025, prosecutors claimed Maguire flipped during questioning over claims he was not expected to be reimbursed. ICAC grilled Maguire and others in 2018 under Operation Dasha, which probed allegations of corruption at the local council. The Wagga Wagga MP resigned from the Berejiklian government after giving evidence, before succumbing to pressure and quitting parliament altogether. ICAC opened a further probe into Maguire, exposing his secret romantic relationship with Ms Berejiklian in 2020. She also stood down from her role and was later found by ICAC to have breached public trust in failing to disclose the relationship, spanning at least five years while she was transport minister, treasurer and then premier. Ex-Liberal MP Daryl Maguire has been found guilty of misleading a corruption probe about benefits expected from a $48 million property development sale. The former member for Wagga Wagga, whose clandestine relationship with ex-NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian led to her political downfall, appeared at Sydney's Downing Centre Courthouse for the verdict on Friday. Magistrate Clare Farnan found he misled the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption while giving evidence during a hearing in July 2018. Ms Farnan rejected a bid by Maguire's legal team to suppress the publication of the guilty verdict. "The interests of the community in open justice is in my view not outweighed by Mr Maguire's interests," she said. At ICAC, Maguire was asked about what he expected to get out of the sale of an estimated $48 million property development in Campsie in Sydney's southwest. During the criminal hearing earlier in 2025, prosecutors claimed Maguire flipped during questioning over claims he was not expected to be reimbursed. ICAC grilled Maguire and others in 2018 under Operation Dasha, which probed allegations of corruption at the local council. The Wagga Wagga MP resigned from the Berejiklian government after giving evidence, before succumbing to pressure and quitting parliament altogether. ICAC opened a further probe into Maguire, exposing his secret romantic relationship with Ms Berejiklian in 2020. She also stood down from her role and was later found by ICAC to have breached public trust in failing to disclose the relationship, spanning at least five years while she was transport minister, treasurer and then premier. Ex-Liberal MP Daryl Maguire has been found guilty of misleading a corruption probe about benefits expected from a $48 million property development sale. The former member for Wagga Wagga, whose clandestine relationship with ex-NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian led to her political downfall, appeared at Sydney's Downing Centre Courthouse for the verdict on Friday. Magistrate Clare Farnan found he misled the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption while giving evidence during a hearing in July 2018. Ms Farnan rejected a bid by Maguire's legal team to suppress the publication of the guilty verdict. "The interests of the community in open justice is in my view not outweighed by Mr Maguire's interests," she said. At ICAC, Maguire was asked about what he expected to get out of the sale of an estimated $48 million property development in Campsie in Sydney's southwest. During the criminal hearing earlier in 2025, prosecutors claimed Maguire flipped during questioning over claims he was not expected to be reimbursed. ICAC grilled Maguire and others in 2018 under Operation Dasha, which probed allegations of corruption at the local council. The Wagga Wagga MP resigned from the Berejiklian government after giving evidence, before succumbing to pressure and quitting parliament altogether. ICAC opened a further probe into Maguire, exposing his secret romantic relationship with Ms Berejiklian in 2020. She also stood down from her role and was later found by ICAC to have breached public trust in failing to disclose the relationship, spanning at least five years while she was transport minister, treasurer and then premier. Ex-Liberal MP Daryl Maguire has been found guilty of misleading a corruption probe about benefits expected from a $48 million property development sale. The former member for Wagga Wagga, whose clandestine relationship with ex-NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian led to her political downfall, appeared at Sydney's Downing Centre Courthouse for the verdict on Friday. Magistrate Clare Farnan found he misled the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption while giving evidence during a hearing in July 2018. Ms Farnan rejected a bid by Maguire's legal team to suppress the publication of the guilty verdict. "The interests of the community in open justice is in my view not outweighed by Mr Maguire's interests," she said. At ICAC, Maguire was asked about what he expected to get out of the sale of an estimated $48 million property development in Campsie in Sydney's southwest. During the criminal hearing earlier in 2025, prosecutors claimed Maguire flipped during questioning over claims he was not expected to be reimbursed. ICAC grilled Maguire and others in 2018 under Operation Dasha, which probed allegations of corruption at the local council. The Wagga Wagga MP resigned from the Berejiklian government after giving evidence, before succumbing to pressure and quitting parliament altogether. ICAC opened a further probe into Maguire, exposing his secret romantic relationship with Ms Berejiklian in 2020. She also stood down from her role and was later found by ICAC to have breached public trust in failing to disclose the relationship, spanning at least five years while she was transport minister, treasurer and then premier.
The Guardian
11 hours ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Former NSW MP Daryl Maguire found guilty of misleading corruption inquiry
Ex-Liberal MP Daryl Maguire has been found guilty of misleading a corruption probe about benefits expected from a $48m property development sale. The former member for Wagga Wagga, whose clandestine relationship with ex-NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian led to her political downfall, appeared at Sydney's Downing Centre Court for the verdict on Friday. Magistrate Clare Farnan found Maguire misled the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption while giving evidence during a hearing in July 2018. Farnan rejected a bid by Maguire's legal team to suppress the publication of the guilty verdict. 'The interests of the community in open justice is in my view not outweighed by Mr Maguire's interests,' she said. At Icac, Maguire was asked about what he expected to get out of the sale of an estimated $48m property development in Campsie in Sydney's south-west. Icac grilled Maguire and others in 2018 under Operation Dasha, which probed allegations of corruption at the local council. The Wagga Wagga MP resigned from the Berejiklian government after giving evidence, before succumbing to pressure and quitting parliament altogether. Sign up to Morning Mail Our Australian morning briefing breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion Icac opened a further probe into Maguire, exposing his secret romantic relationship with Berejiklian in 2020. Berejiklian also stood down from her role and was later found by Icac to have breached public trust in failing to disclose the relationship, spanning at least five years while she was transport minister, treasurer and then premier.
7NEWS
12 hours ago
- Politics
- 7NEWS
Gladys Berejiklian's former partner Daryl Maguire found guilty of misleading ICAC over $48m property deal
Ex-Liberal MP Daryl Maguire has been found guilty of misleading a corruption probe about benefits expected from a $48 million property development sale. The former member for Wagga Wagga, whose clandestine relationship with ex-NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian led to her political downfall, appeared at Sydney's Downing Centre courthouse for the verdict on Friday. Magistrate Clare Farnan found that he misled the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption while giving evidence during a hearing in July 2018. Farnan rejected a bid by Maguire's legal team to suppress the publication of the guilty verdict. 'The interests of the community in open justice is in my view not outweighed by Mr Maguire's interests,' she said. At ICAC, Maguire was asked about what he expected to get out of the sale of an estimated $48 million property development in Campsie in Sydney's southwest. During the criminal hearing earlier in 2025, prosecutors claimed Maguire flipped during questioning over claims he was not expected to be reimbursed. ICAC grilled Maguire and others in 2018 under Operation Dasha, which probed allegations of corruption at the local council. The Wagga Wagga MP resigned from the Berejiklian government after giving evidence, before succumbing to pressure and quitting parliament altogether. ICAC opened a further probe into Maguire, exposing his secret romantic relationship with Berejiklian in 2020. She also stood down from her role and was later found by ICAC to have breached public trust in failing to disclose the relationship, spanning at least five years while she was transport minister, treasurer and then premier.
