Gladys Berejiklian might avoid jail for her crimes, but she has been branded for life as being “seriously corrupt” which is the next best thing for people who believe in public accountability for politicians and it adds to a long list of criminal conduct by Gladys Berejiklian.

For the old media to report the NSW ICAC findings of “serious corruption” but at same time not report all of Glady’s corruption fails to tell the full story.

Berejiklian’s supporters are trying to make out the NSW ICAC findings are a one off and she is really an honest person but that is a lie.

Berejiklian is a major league crook who pork-barrelled like no tomorrow and her government even stole from bush fire victims who badly needed the money, and many still do, to buy votes in other electorates. And in one matter Gladys thought nothing of shredding documents and deleting files to hide her corruption.

The fallout for Gladys Berejiklian of the “seriously corrupt” findings will be lifechanging and she has a massive fight in front of her and it won’t end well.

Gladys put out a statement saying the NSW ICAC Operation Keppel report, which found she engaged in seriously corrupt conduct by pork-barrelling $millions to help her secret boyfriend etc, is “being examined by my legal team”. Her employer Optus is backing her up at this stage but Gladys would be well aware she will have to resign or be sacked in the not-too-distant future. Although if she institutes legal proceedings it might extend her employment at Optus for a while.

It doesn’t matter what Berejiklian’s legal team do or don’t do as they will never be able to erase video of Gladys’ open and blatant perjury on the witness stand at the NSW ICAC or erase the numerus recordings of Gladys discussing dodgy deals with her former boyfriend Daryl Maguire.

Daryl Maguire is already facing numerous criminal charges relating to his time as an MP and he will likely face more charges arising from the recommendations in the Operation Keppel report and every time his name is in the media the public will think of his relationship with Gladys. That would have to also mean there is a very real likelihood that Gladys will be called as a witness for some of those charges which will be further humiliation for her.

Gladys Berejiklian will do political damage to the Liberal Party and others who expose their own acceptance of corruption to defend her

The corruption finding against Gladys Berejiklian has done damage to the Liberal Party and coalition. Instead of accepting the NSW ICAC findings federal Liberal Leader Peter Dutton has defended Gladys Berejiklian which achieves nothing but to damage Peter Dutton’s own reputation but he’s too stupid to realise it.

But then again maybe Peter Dutton thinks if he supports Gladys Berejiklian now when he is investigated by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), as I wrote in my previous article, maybe she and the Liberal Party will support him.

Gladys Berejiklian will be a ball and chain around the Liberal Party and until she reigns or is kicked out of the party, she will do damage to their brand.

Gladys Berejiklian final day at ICAC was possibly the best day of all. She was accused of lying by barrister Hugh White who was acting for Sarah Cruickshank who is the former chief of staff for Gladys Berejiklian as per the below video:

Gladys the pork-barrel Queen

What is interesting is that none of the old media I have seen have raised Gladys’ pork-barrelling and document shredding which shows Gladys likes to keep incriminating evidence to a minimum and it is consistent with her “I don’t need to know that” comment she made to her corrupt former boyfriend Daryl Maguire.

Pork-barrelling is a crime as it is financial fraud to buy votes even though Gladys and some people claim it’s not a crime. If Gladys truly believed it wasn’t a crime, then why did she shred documents and delete computer files?

The ABC reported in October 2020:

Documents which Premier Gladys Berejiklian used to approve millions of dollars in grants to local councils were later shredded, a NSW parliamentary inquiry has heard.

One of the Premier’s senior policy advisers, Sarah Lau, told the inquiry she also deleted electronic copies of the notes.

The inquiry is investigating the allocation of $250 million worth of grants under the Stronger Communities Fund amid accusations of pork-barrelling in the run-up to the 2019 NSW election.

Nearly all the grants were awarded to local councils in Coalition-held seats.

The inquiry heard that $141.8 million of the grant funding was allocated by the Premier, with $61.3million allocated by the Deputy Premier John Barilaro and $48.9 million by the Minister for Local Government.

The Premier’s former chief of staff, Sarah Cruickshank, was asked whether it was routine practice in the Premier’s office to destroy documents related to the spending of millions of dollars in public money.

“No, I would say it’s not,” she replied. (Click here to read more)

The SMH reported in January 2021:

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian’s office broke the law when it shredded documents relating to a $250 million grants scheme.

A data search of the Premier’s IT system recovered briefing notes in November for Ms Berejiklian, outlining why certain projects, of which almost all were in Coalition-held seats, should receive funding ahead of the 2019 state election.

According to an analysis by the opposition, 95 per cent of the Stronger Communities fund went to councils in Coalition seats before the (2019) election. (Click here to read more)

A law firm’s blog did pick up on it though as per below:

Teflon Gladys

This is not the first time a finding of misconduct has been made against Ms Berejiklian.

In 2021, an investigation by the State Archives and Records Authority (the ‘SARA’) found that the New South Wales Premier’s office broke the law when they shredded documents relating to $252 million in grants, however SARA never pursued the possibility of legal accountability – leading some to label the former premier ‘Teflon Gladys‘ for her ability to avoid accountability.

It’s disappointing, some may even consider it unjust. However, we have to be satisfied with the fact that Ms Berejiklian’s conduct has been recorded for the history books. Whatever her legacy may have been, it is now marred by these findings. 

On a positive note, her actions may in fact be a much needed catalyst for changing the system so that those in positions of political power are made much more accountable for spending taxpayer dollars, at least. (Click here to read more)

It wasn’t just paper documents that Gladys Berejiklian’s office shredded to hide her pork-barrelling crimes, her office also deleted electronic documents so any argument the paper documents were accidently deleted is not plausible.

Operation Keppel report volume 1 (Click here) Operation Keppel report volume 2 (Click here) Operation Keppel report fact sheet (Click here)

Will Gladys Berejiklian file to have ICAC’s corruption finding overturned in the NSW Supreme Court?

If Gladys wants to keep her job at Optus she’ll have to run the gauntlet in the NSW Supreme Court and have the NSW ICAC findings overturned. Otherwise, Optus will be forced to sack her. Putting out a statement saying her legal team is looking at the matter has only bought her some time, and that’s it.

But as reported “her team of high-powered lawyers would need to prove the anti-corruption watchdog made an error of law.” and I doubt that will happen given the NSW ICAC Act 1988 has been tested many times before and mostly people have failed.

Former NSW Premier Nick Greiner did have a corruption finding overturned in 1992 as the “court found that ICAC had “exceeded its jurisdiction” in ruling against the two ministers” but “a sub-section was ultimately added in 1994 which addressed the behaviour of ministers and members of parliament, and gave legislative enforcement to ministerial and parliamentary codes of conduct.” (Click here to read more)

Once again, the NSW Supreme Court won’t be able to delete from people minds Gladys on the witness stand lying like there’s no tomorrow and on a recording saying to Daryl “I don’t need to know that” when he starts talking about his corrupt deals.

If Gladys wants to have a crack in the NSW Supreme Court, I say bring it on. The worst-case scenario for the public is she shines a light on judicial corrupt in the Supreme Court. The worst case for Gladys in the Supreme Court confirms the NSW ICAC findings by Acting Commissioner Ruth McColl who is a former NSW Supreme Court – Court of Appeal judge.

Fun fact: I had a unanimous judgement in my favour when I represented myself in the NSW Supreme Court of Appeal having suppression orders and non-publication orders lifted in 2018 in Capilano v Dowling and Justice Ruth McColl was one of the judges. (Click here to read the judgment) This paragraph has no relevance to this article, it’s just a shameless boast by me.

The body language of Gladys Berejiklian on the witness stand at the NSW ICAC in October 2021 says it all and no Supreme Court decision will be able override the story told by the pictures.

NSW ICAC leaks more recordings

The ABC have published (30/6/23) more previously unheard recordings between Gladys Berejiklian and her former boyfriend Daryl Maguire (Click here for more) which might be a shot across the bow to Berejiklian and her lawyers not to take legal action in the NSW Supreme Court as more evidence will become public if the NSW ICAC have to defend their report in the Supreme Court.

Some media are still trying to defend Gladys which only embarrasses themselves and their credibility with their readers and viewers. Channel 9 even rolled out Australia’s most corrupt barrister Margaret Cunneen to try and imply that Gladys Berejiklian was hard done by given ICAC’s findings.

Cunneen was exposed protecting alleged paedophile Scott Volkers at the Child Abuse Royal Commission, she is friends with criminals like murderer Roger Rogerson and she was exposed in the media lying about it. (Click here to read more) Gladys would be better off getting a reference for honesty and integrity from the Devil than Margaret Cunneen as it would be more believable.

Gladys Berejiklian’s media statement:

“Serving the people of NSW was an honour and privilege. At all times I have worked my hardest in the public interest,” Berejiklian said in a statement.

“Nothing in this report demonstrates otherwise. Thank you to members of the public for their incredible support. This will sustain me always. The report is currently being examined by my legal team.”

Berejiklian had a team of high-powered barristers acting for her at the inquiry, including Sydney barristers Bret Walker, SC, and Sophie Callan, SC.

A corruption finding may be struck down by the Supreme Court where the ICAC has made an error of law; its reasoning was not objectively reasonable; there is no evidence that could rationally support its finding; relevant matters were not taken into account or irrelevant matters were taken into account; or there was a denial of natural justice. (Click here to read more)

Optus media statement:

“Optus acknowledges the ICAC report published in relation to Gladys Berejiklian’s time serving as a Member of the NSW Parliament,” the statement said.

“We refer you to Gladys’ media statement and have no further comment to make.”

John Barilaro – Former NSW Deputy Premier

I thought John Barilaro would have had findings of perjury made against him regarding his other “intimate personal relationships” but John isn’t in the clear yet as NSW Premier Chris Minns referred Barilaro to the NSW ICAC in February 2023 for doing what John does best, rorting the system:

The SMH reported:

The office of former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro intervened in a $100 million bushfire recovery program and altered the guidelines, resulting in Labor electorates missing out on emergency funding despite being ravaged by the deadly Black Summer fires.

Instead of following the guidelines, the office of the then-NSW Nationals leader devised their own rules to fast-track money to areas hit by the firestorm – a switch that meant 96 per cent of projects funded were in Coalition-held seats. (Click here to read more)

It would be my guess that John Barilaro likely has other complaints against him sitting at the NSW ICAC as well. But time will tell.

Has NSW ICAC failed?

The decision by NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) not to recommend criminal charges against Gladys Berejiklian might be a worse punishment then if they did.

The ball is now in Gladys’ court and if she institutes legal action in the NSW Supreme court to overturn ICAC’s decision it will be costly and likely make public further evidence that the NSW ICAC have not yet made public.

So even if Gladys won it could be very embarrassing for her and if she lost it would reinforce the NSW ICAC finding of serious corruption and multiply any damage it has already done to her future career and life. Any loss would force Optus to sack her.

The NACC has started trading on Saturday the 1st of July 2023

The National Anti-Corruption Commission has started trading and you can make complaints here: https://www.nacc.gov.au/reporting-and-investigating-corruption

While I have major concerns about its ability to achieve real results given all hearings will be private except in exceptional circumstances I believe that will change in time and it is a start which Scott Morrison and his government didn’t avoid for no reason.

If the NSW ICAC inquiry into Gladys Berejiklian had been in private, she still would have been Premier until at least the March election this year (2023) and could still be Premier. That being said, we will move forward with the NACC and try and drive the change to public hearings as the default for all hearings except in exceptional circumstances and it’s only then I believe it will have real teeth.

If anyone thinks that Gladys Berejiklian has somehow escaped punishment for her corruption maybe read the above again and ask yourself if you would want to change places with her.

Please use Twitter, Facebook, email and the other buttons below and help promote this article.

Kangaroo Court of Australia is an independent website and is reliant on donations to keep publishing so please click on the Patreon button below and support independent journalism.

If you would like to support via PayPal use the button below or for other donation options click here to go to the Donations page.

Thank you for your support.

For the KCA t-shirt shop click here.