POLITICIANS – NEW SOUTH WALES

NSW MPs push to ban pokies on Anzac Day

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Original article by Alexandra Smith
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 13-Aug-24

The NSW government recently announced that it will seek to ban all large retailers from trading on Anzac Day. Alex Greenwich, the independent MP for Sydney, contends that the ban should be expanded to include poker machines in pubs, clubs and Sydney’s casinos; he says Anzac Day is a solemn day of commemoration and reflection, and the government should force ‘pokies’ to be turned off for the day if it is serious about honouring the state’s war veterans. Greenwich says his proposed legislative amendment – which would not apply to the Anzac Day tradition of playing two-up – has the support of other crossbenchers.

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$5.5 million grant was a priority project for Berejiklian, ICAC told

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Original article by Lucy Cormack
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 22-Oct-21

The NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption has heard evidence from senior public servant Chris Hanger. He has told the inquiry that in early 2017 he was asked to review the business case for a $5.5m upgrade of a shooting club in Wagga Wagga. The initial business case for the project had a benefit-to-cost ratio of less than one, which meant it could not be approved by Infrastructure NSW. Hanger told ICAC that an adviser to former deputy premier John Barilaro had asked him to review the business case; however, he believed that the request had come from Gladys Berejiklian, who had recently become the state’s premier. Hanger says he was not aware of her relationship with former Wagga Wagga MP Daryl Maguire at the time.

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NEW SOUTH WALES. INDEPENDENT COMMISSION AGAINST CORRUPTION, INFRASTRUCTURE NEW SOUTH WALES

Mike Baird staffer questioned why Berejiklian wanted to spend $5.5m in safe seat of Wagga Wagga

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Original article by Michael McGowan
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 20-Oct-21

Zacharia Bentley was a policy adviser to former New South Wales premier Gladys Berejiklian in her previous role as the state’s treasurer. Documents submitted to the Independent Commission Against Corruption show that Bentley believed that Berejiklian had discussed a proposed $5.5m grant for the Australian Clay Target Association with her former lover, Daryl Maguire; it is one of two grants in his electorate of Wagga Wagga that are at the centre of ICAC’s investigation. Bentley has also revealed that he told ICAC investigators in April that the grant had been queried by Nigel Blunden, who was former premier Mike Baird’s strategy director when the grant was proposed. Meanwhile, the state government has agreed to pay all of Berejiklian’s legal costs arising from the ICAC inquiry.

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Bureaucrat tells ICAC of concerns about gun club grant

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Original article by Lucy Cormack
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 19-Oct-21

The opening day of the Independent Commission Against Corruption’s investigation into former New South Wales premier Gladys Berejiklian heard evidence from Office of Sport director Michael Toohey. He was questioned about the fast-tracking of a government grant for the Australian Clay Target Association in the Wagga Wagga electorate of Berejiklian’s former lover Daryl Maguire. It is one of two grants that were approved in the electorate when Berejiklian was the state’s treasurer. Toohey told the inquiry that the intimate relations between Berejiklian and Maguire at the time clearly constituted a conflict of interest, and said the grant application would most likely have been subject to greater scrutiny if this relationship had been known.

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NEW SOUTH WALES. INDEPENDENT COMMISSION AGAINST CORRUPTION, NEW SOUTH WALES. OFFICE OF SPORT, AUSTRALIAN CLAY TARGET ASSOCIATION

Former MP Daryl Maguire tells ICAC he sought Gladys Berejiklian’s guidance on his debts

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Original article by Michael McGowan
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 16-Oct-20

Disgraced former New South Wales Liberal MP Daryl Maguire has appeared before an Independent Commission Against Commission inquiry for a second day. Maguire told the inquiry that he had discussed a deal for the sale of land at Badgerys Creek in western Sydney with Premier Gladys Berejiklian, including the fact that his commission of about $1.5m would be sufficient to clear his debts. However, Maguire said he could not recall how much he had told Berejiklian about his debts. Maguire also admitted that he had assisted property developers to gain access to government ministers and public servants.

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NEW SOUTH WALES. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET, NEW SOUTH WALES. INDEPENDENT COMMISSION AGAINST CORRUPTION, LIBERAL PARTY OF NEW SOUTH WALES

Berejiklian under pressure as former lover admits to cash for visas

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Original article by Josh Butler
The New Daily – Page: Online : 15-Oct-20

New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian is under growing pressure following the latest revelations at an Independent Commission Against Corruption inquiry. Disgraced former Liberal MP Daryl Maguire has told the inquiry that he had used his office in Parliament House for private business dealings. This included receiving large cash payments as part of a ‘cash for visas’ scheme that was operated by G8way International. Maguire was not questioned about his relationship with Berejiklian on his first day of evidence; Berejiklian has reiterated that she had no knowledge of his business dealings.

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NEW SOUTH WALES. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET, NEW SOUTH WALES. INDEPENDENT COMMISSION AGAINST CORRUPTION, LIBERAL PARTY OF NEW SOUTH WALES

Embattled NSW Premier bans cash gifts

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Original article by Aaron Patrick
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 18-Sep-19

New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian will announce on 18 September that her government plans to ban cash donations of more than $100 to political parties. There are suggestions the donation ban is designed to draw attention away from the problems that Berejiklian is having with some Liberal MPs over abortion laws, as well as the decision by Sports, Multiculturalism, Seniors and Veterans Minister John Sidoti to stand down while he is being investigated by the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption over property investments near new rail lines.

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NEW SOUTH WALES. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET, NEW SOUTH WALES. INDEPENDENT COMMISSION AGAINST CORRUPTION, LIBERAL PARTY OF NEW SOUTH WALES

Premier shrugs off Victorian poll impact

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Original article by Jacob Saulwick
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: 4 : 26-Nov-18

New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian expects the next few months will be "incredibly tough" in the lead-up to the state election in March. Her comments follow the big swings against conservative parties in recent by-elections and the Victorian election on 24 November, while Berejiklian says she does not want to see her government impacted by "outside influences". One NSW Liberal insider says the campaign it will run at the upcoming state election will be nothing like the one that the Victorian Liberals ran.

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NEW SOUTH WALES. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET, LIBERAL PARTY OF NEW SOUTH WALES, LIBERAL PARTY OF VICTORIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Labor crisis over sex scandal

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Original article by Andrew Clennell
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 9-Nov-18

Luke Foley has quit as leader of the New South Wales Labor opposition over allegations he "drunkenly" placed his hands inside a female ABC reporter’s underwear after a 2016 Christmas party. He has denied the claims against him, made by Ashleigh Raper, and says he has sought legal advice in regard to launching possible defamation proceedings in the Federal Court. NSW police say they have spoken to ABC management about the claims, while Prime Minister Scott Morrison described Foley’s alleged behaviour as "very, very shocking and concerning"

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ABC boss vows to probe Foley harassment claim

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Original article by Andrew Clennell
The Australian – Page: 9 : 24-Oct-18

The ABC is under further scrutiny in the wake of the recent management upheaval, after acting MD David Anderson appeared before the Senate estimates committee. He said that he had only recently been made aware of allegations that New South Wales Opposition Leader Luke Foley had sexually harassed a female ABC journalist, and that no formal complaint had been lodged regarding the alleged incident. Anderson said that the public broadcaster will undertaken an investigation into the allegation, which was the subject of media reports in May. Foley has denied the allegation.

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AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA