Latest news with #NSWIndependentCommissionAgainstCorruption
The Advertiser
14-07-2025
- The Advertiser
'Give me 50 bucks an hour off the top': Newcastle engineer in alleged corruption web
A FORMER Transport for NSW engineer based in Newcastle is suspected of pocketing more than $100,000 in "kickbacks" and becoming entangled in a web of corruption with his colleague, Ibrahim Helmy, at the centre. The alleged rigging and inflation of contracts by Transport for NSW procurement officer Mr Helmy, who is in hiding, between 2012 and 2024 has come under the microscope of the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC). ICAC is investigating allegations Mr Helmy was involved in corrupt relationships with companies that were paid at least $343 million in contracts. A public inquiry started on Monday. Former Newcastle-based senior projects engineer David Liu has been dragged into the proceedings, with counsel assisting Rob Ranken, SC, detailing how he allegedly helped Mr Helmy submit inflated work orders and had a corrupt arrangement of his own. Investigations led to raids in September on the head office of Protection Barriers, one of the state's biggest roadworks companies. Founder Jason Chellew gave evidence at the inquiry on July 14. At one stage, Mr Chellew said he had a direct arrangement with Mr Liu regarding a truck hire arrangement. Mr Chellew told the inquiry he supplied a truck and an operator on an hourly basis, charging Transport for NSW $200 an hour, but $50 of that was a "kickback" for Mr Liu. Mr Chellew said he was not "100 per cent sure" how the arrangement "really got going" but that he recalled Mr Liu suggesting he could keep the truck in work when it would otherwise have run out, but "give me 50 bucks an hour off the top". Mr Chellew gave evidence that he communicated with Mr Liu on Whatsapp and had met him at locations across the Hunter region, including a Taree Caltex, Beresfield Bunnings and a storage facility at Tomago, to hand over cash. He said he had not reported Mr Liu to Transport for NSW about the arrangement Mr Liu had allegedly suggested. Mr Ranken, SC, said in his opening address that he expected the evidence to show that Mr Liu received between $100,000 and $150,000 from Mr Chellew as part of the hire truck arrangement. He said Mr Liu worked for Transport for NSW between 2008 and 2025, when he resigned after the discovery of his suspected corrupt conduct. Mr Helmy, who was terminated by the agency in February, is suspected to have received more than $11.5 million from the alleged scheme, which involved contracts worth more than $343 million. He is wanted by police and is believed to be in hiding after a failed attempt to leave Australia on a US passport in September. The principal - but not only - official involved in the ICAC inquiry is Mr Helmy. Mr Chellew told the inquiry on Monday that Mr Helmy "proposed giving us jobs for kickbacks". "I didn't really want to do it, but that's what we did at the time," he said. Under the deal, beginning in 2020, Helmy allocated roadworks contracts to Mr Chellew's company at inflated rates, with the amount "on top" split evenly between them. About a year later, 80 per cent of Protection Barriers' work was coming from Transport for NSW, Mr Chellew said. Protection Barriers secured jobs worth about $100 million over four years, counsel assisting the inquiry Rob Ranken SC said. Mr Chellew said he initially paid cash, but as the work "went crazy", difficulties withdrawing sufficient sums prompted a switch to cryptocurrency. He said he even once brought gold to a Sydney petrol station in 2023 in a bid to "pacify" Helmy. Helmy, who joined Transport for NSW as a graduate in 2010, has been wanted by police since May after failing to appear when summoned. It is alleged Helmy formed corrupt relationships with several other agency contractors and colleagues, including the Newcastle-based Mr Liu. The probe is the fourth public inquiry since 2019 into claims of corruption in procurement at Transport for NSW, which is responsible for a $23 billion annual budget. The inquiry continues on Tuesday and public hearings are expected to run for six weeks. A FORMER Transport for NSW engineer based in Newcastle is suspected of pocketing more than $100,000 in "kickbacks" and becoming entangled in a web of corruption with his colleague, Ibrahim Helmy, at the centre. The alleged rigging and inflation of contracts by Transport for NSW procurement officer Mr Helmy, who is in hiding, between 2012 and 2024 has come under the microscope of the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC). ICAC is investigating allegations Mr Helmy was involved in corrupt relationships with companies that were paid at least $343 million in contracts. A public inquiry started on Monday. Former Newcastle-based senior projects engineer David Liu has been dragged into the proceedings, with counsel assisting Rob Ranken, SC, detailing how he allegedly helped Mr Helmy submit inflated work orders and had a corrupt arrangement of his own. Investigations led to raids in September on the head office of Protection Barriers, one of the state's biggest roadworks companies. Founder Jason Chellew gave evidence at the inquiry on July 14. At one stage, Mr Chellew said he had a direct arrangement with Mr Liu regarding a truck hire arrangement. Mr Chellew told the inquiry he supplied a truck and an operator on an hourly basis, charging Transport for NSW $200 an hour, but $50 of that was a "kickback" for Mr Liu. Mr Chellew said he was not "100 per cent sure" how the arrangement "really got going" but that he recalled Mr Liu suggesting he could keep the truck in work when it would otherwise have run out, but "give me 50 bucks an hour off the top". Mr Chellew gave evidence that he communicated with Mr Liu on Whatsapp and had met him at locations across the Hunter region, including a Taree Caltex, Beresfield Bunnings and a storage facility at Tomago, to hand over cash. He said he had not reported Mr Liu to Transport for NSW about the arrangement Mr Liu had allegedly suggested. Mr Ranken, SC, said in his opening address that he expected the evidence to show that Mr Liu received between $100,000 and $150,000 from Mr Chellew as part of the hire truck arrangement. He said Mr Liu worked for Transport for NSW between 2008 and 2025, when he resigned after the discovery of his suspected corrupt conduct. Mr Helmy, who was terminated by the agency in February, is suspected to have received more than $11.5 million from the alleged scheme, which involved contracts worth more than $343 million. He is wanted by police and is believed to be in hiding after a failed attempt to leave Australia on a US passport in September. The principal - but not only - official involved in the ICAC inquiry is Mr Helmy. Mr Chellew told the inquiry on Monday that Mr Helmy "proposed giving us jobs for kickbacks". "I didn't really want to do it, but that's what we did at the time," he said. Under the deal, beginning in 2020, Helmy allocated roadworks contracts to Mr Chellew's company at inflated rates, with the amount "on top" split evenly between them. About a year later, 80 per cent of Protection Barriers' work was coming from Transport for NSW, Mr Chellew said. Protection Barriers secured jobs worth about $100 million over four years, counsel assisting the inquiry Rob Ranken SC said. Mr Chellew said he initially paid cash, but as the work "went crazy", difficulties withdrawing sufficient sums prompted a switch to cryptocurrency. He said he even once brought gold to a Sydney petrol station in 2023 in a bid to "pacify" Helmy. Helmy, who joined Transport for NSW as a graduate in 2010, has been wanted by police since May after failing to appear when summoned. It is alleged Helmy formed corrupt relationships with several other agency contractors and colleagues, including the Newcastle-based Mr Liu. The probe is the fourth public inquiry since 2019 into claims of corruption in procurement at Transport for NSW, which is responsible for a $23 billion annual budget. The inquiry continues on Tuesday and public hearings are expected to run for six weeks. A FORMER Transport for NSW engineer based in Newcastle is suspected of pocketing more than $100,000 in "kickbacks" and becoming entangled in a web of corruption with his colleague, Ibrahim Helmy, at the centre. The alleged rigging and inflation of contracts by Transport for NSW procurement officer Mr Helmy, who is in hiding, between 2012 and 2024 has come under the microscope of the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC). ICAC is investigating allegations Mr Helmy was involved in corrupt relationships with companies that were paid at least $343 million in contracts. A public inquiry started on Monday. Former Newcastle-based senior projects engineer David Liu has been dragged into the proceedings, with counsel assisting Rob Ranken, SC, detailing how he allegedly helped Mr Helmy submit inflated work orders and had a corrupt arrangement of his own. Investigations led to raids in September on the head office of Protection Barriers, one of the state's biggest roadworks companies. Founder Jason Chellew gave evidence at the inquiry on July 14. At one stage, Mr Chellew said he had a direct arrangement with Mr Liu regarding a truck hire arrangement. Mr Chellew told the inquiry he supplied a truck and an operator on an hourly basis, charging Transport for NSW $200 an hour, but $50 of that was a "kickback" for Mr Liu. Mr Chellew said he was not "100 per cent sure" how the arrangement "really got going" but that he recalled Mr Liu suggesting he could keep the truck in work when it would otherwise have run out, but "give me 50 bucks an hour off the top". Mr Chellew gave evidence that he communicated with Mr Liu on Whatsapp and had met him at locations across the Hunter region, including a Taree Caltex, Beresfield Bunnings and a storage facility at Tomago, to hand over cash. He said he had not reported Mr Liu to Transport for NSW about the arrangement Mr Liu had allegedly suggested. Mr Ranken, SC, said in his opening address that he expected the evidence to show that Mr Liu received between $100,000 and $150,000 from Mr Chellew as part of the hire truck arrangement. He said Mr Liu worked for Transport for NSW between 2008 and 2025, when he resigned after the discovery of his suspected corrupt conduct. Mr Helmy, who was terminated by the agency in February, is suspected to have received more than $11.5 million from the alleged scheme, which involved contracts worth more than $343 million. He is wanted by police and is believed to be in hiding after a failed attempt to leave Australia on a US passport in September. The principal - but not only - official involved in the ICAC inquiry is Mr Helmy. Mr Chellew told the inquiry on Monday that Mr Helmy "proposed giving us jobs for kickbacks". "I didn't really want to do it, but that's what we did at the time," he said. Under the deal, beginning in 2020, Helmy allocated roadworks contracts to Mr Chellew's company at inflated rates, with the amount "on top" split evenly between them. About a year later, 80 per cent of Protection Barriers' work was coming from Transport for NSW, Mr Chellew said. Protection Barriers secured jobs worth about $100 million over four years, counsel assisting the inquiry Rob Ranken SC said. Mr Chellew said he initially paid cash, but as the work "went crazy", difficulties withdrawing sufficient sums prompted a switch to cryptocurrency. He said he even once brought gold to a Sydney petrol station in 2023 in a bid to "pacify" Helmy. Helmy, who joined Transport for NSW as a graduate in 2010, has been wanted by police since May after failing to appear when summoned. It is alleged Helmy formed corrupt relationships with several other agency contractors and colleagues, including the Newcastle-based Mr Liu. The probe is the fourth public inquiry since 2019 into claims of corruption in procurement at Transport for NSW, which is responsible for a $23 billion annual budget. The inquiry continues on Tuesday and public hearings are expected to run for six weeks. A FORMER Transport for NSW engineer based in Newcastle is suspected of pocketing more than $100,000 in "kickbacks" and becoming entangled in a web of corruption with his colleague, Ibrahim Helmy, at the centre. The alleged rigging and inflation of contracts by Transport for NSW procurement officer Mr Helmy, who is in hiding, between 2012 and 2024 has come under the microscope of the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC). ICAC is investigating allegations Mr Helmy was involved in corrupt relationships with companies that were paid at least $343 million in contracts. A public inquiry started on Monday. Former Newcastle-based senior projects engineer David Liu has been dragged into the proceedings, with counsel assisting Rob Ranken, SC, detailing how he allegedly helped Mr Helmy submit inflated work orders and had a corrupt arrangement of his own. Investigations led to raids in September on the head office of Protection Barriers, one of the state's biggest roadworks companies. Founder Jason Chellew gave evidence at the inquiry on July 14. At one stage, Mr Chellew said he had a direct arrangement with Mr Liu regarding a truck hire arrangement. Mr Chellew told the inquiry he supplied a truck and an operator on an hourly basis, charging Transport for NSW $200 an hour, but $50 of that was a "kickback" for Mr Liu. Mr Chellew said he was not "100 per cent sure" how the arrangement "really got going" but that he recalled Mr Liu suggesting he could keep the truck in work when it would otherwise have run out, but "give me 50 bucks an hour off the top". Mr Chellew gave evidence that he communicated with Mr Liu on Whatsapp and had met him at locations across the Hunter region, including a Taree Caltex, Beresfield Bunnings and a storage facility at Tomago, to hand over cash. He said he had not reported Mr Liu to Transport for NSW about the arrangement Mr Liu had allegedly suggested. Mr Ranken, SC, said in his opening address that he expected the evidence to show that Mr Liu received between $100,000 and $150,000 from Mr Chellew as part of the hire truck arrangement. He said Mr Liu worked for Transport for NSW between 2008 and 2025, when he resigned after the discovery of his suspected corrupt conduct. Mr Helmy, who was terminated by the agency in February, is suspected to have received more than $11.5 million from the alleged scheme, which involved contracts worth more than $343 million. He is wanted by police and is believed to be in hiding after a failed attempt to leave Australia on a US passport in September. The principal - but not only - official involved in the ICAC inquiry is Mr Helmy. Mr Chellew told the inquiry on Monday that Mr Helmy "proposed giving us jobs for kickbacks". "I didn't really want to do it, but that's what we did at the time," he said. Under the deal, beginning in 2020, Helmy allocated roadworks contracts to Mr Chellew's company at inflated rates, with the amount "on top" split evenly between them. About a year later, 80 per cent of Protection Barriers' work was coming from Transport for NSW, Mr Chellew said. Protection Barriers secured jobs worth about $100 million over four years, counsel assisting the inquiry Rob Ranken SC said. Mr Chellew said he initially paid cash, but as the work "went crazy", difficulties withdrawing sufficient sums prompted a switch to cryptocurrency. He said he even once brought gold to a Sydney petrol station in 2023 in a bid to "pacify" Helmy. Helmy, who joined Transport for NSW as a graduate in 2010, has been wanted by police since May after failing to appear when summoned. It is alleged Helmy formed corrupt relationships with several other agency contractors and colleagues, including the Newcastle-based Mr Liu. The probe is the fourth public inquiry since 2019 into claims of corruption in procurement at Transport for NSW, which is responsible for a $23 billion annual budget. The inquiry continues on Tuesday and public hearings are expected to run for six weeks.
The Advertiser
13-07-2025
- Business
- The Advertiser
Rigged contracts the focus of transport kickbacks probe
Allegations that public servants rigged lucrative government contracts for kickbacks will form the centre of a major corruption inquiry. During an estimated six weeks of public hearings beginning on Monday, an integrity watchdog will probe whether several Transport for NSW employees were favourable or dishonest in awarding tenders to private companies dating back to 2012. Transport for NSW is responsible for issuing contracts to private companies for new works and maintenance, with companies vying for multimillion-dollar jobs after being placed on a panel. A NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption investigation led to raids on the head office of Protection Barriers Pty Ltd, one of the state's biggest roadworks companies, in September. Government records show the business secured significant deals worth more than $110 million from Transport for NSW for road safety work during the past decade. One state employee told Nine's A Current Affair the company was given preferential access to tenders. "They (Protection Barriers) should have been doing seven million worth of work a year - in actual fact, they were doing nearly $30 million worth of work a year," Adele Graham told the program. Luxury cars were seized from the company's headquarters in northern NSW in raids led by the commission before the firm fell into voluntary administration in March. Company founder Jason Chellew is set to face the inquiry on Monday, followed by his wife Meshel on Wednesday. The inquiry will also hear from Peco and Saso Jankulovski, directors of Complete Linemarking Services Pty Ltd, later in the week. The six-week inquiry will be presided over by chief commissioner and former NSW attorney-general John Hatzistergos, with Rob Ranken SC and Grainne Marsden as counsel assisting. In 2023, the corruption watchdog found two former Transport for NSW employees awarded roads and maritime contracts in exchange for more than $7 million in benefits from mid-2010 to about mid-2019. Allegations that public servants rigged lucrative government contracts for kickbacks will form the centre of a major corruption inquiry. During an estimated six weeks of public hearings beginning on Monday, an integrity watchdog will probe whether several Transport for NSW employees were favourable or dishonest in awarding tenders to private companies dating back to 2012. Transport for NSW is responsible for issuing contracts to private companies for new works and maintenance, with companies vying for multimillion-dollar jobs after being placed on a panel. A NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption investigation led to raids on the head office of Protection Barriers Pty Ltd, one of the state's biggest roadworks companies, in September. Government records show the business secured significant deals worth more than $110 million from Transport for NSW for road safety work during the past decade. One state employee told Nine's A Current Affair the company was given preferential access to tenders. "They (Protection Barriers) should have been doing seven million worth of work a year - in actual fact, they were doing nearly $30 million worth of work a year," Adele Graham told the program. Luxury cars were seized from the company's headquarters in northern NSW in raids led by the commission before the firm fell into voluntary administration in March. Company founder Jason Chellew is set to face the inquiry on Monday, followed by his wife Meshel on Wednesday. The inquiry will also hear from Peco and Saso Jankulovski, directors of Complete Linemarking Services Pty Ltd, later in the week. The six-week inquiry will be presided over by chief commissioner and former NSW attorney-general John Hatzistergos, with Rob Ranken SC and Grainne Marsden as counsel assisting. In 2023, the corruption watchdog found two former Transport for NSW employees awarded roads and maritime contracts in exchange for more than $7 million in benefits from mid-2010 to about mid-2019. Allegations that public servants rigged lucrative government contracts for kickbacks will form the centre of a major corruption inquiry. During an estimated six weeks of public hearings beginning on Monday, an integrity watchdog will probe whether several Transport for NSW employees were favourable or dishonest in awarding tenders to private companies dating back to 2012. Transport for NSW is responsible for issuing contracts to private companies for new works and maintenance, with companies vying for multimillion-dollar jobs after being placed on a panel. A NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption investigation led to raids on the head office of Protection Barriers Pty Ltd, one of the state's biggest roadworks companies, in September. Government records show the business secured significant deals worth more than $110 million from Transport for NSW for road safety work during the past decade. One state employee told Nine's A Current Affair the company was given preferential access to tenders. "They (Protection Barriers) should have been doing seven million worth of work a year - in actual fact, they were doing nearly $30 million worth of work a year," Adele Graham told the program. Luxury cars were seized from the company's headquarters in northern NSW in raids led by the commission before the firm fell into voluntary administration in March. Company founder Jason Chellew is set to face the inquiry on Monday, followed by his wife Meshel on Wednesday. The inquiry will also hear from Peco and Saso Jankulovski, directors of Complete Linemarking Services Pty Ltd, later in the week. The six-week inquiry will be presided over by chief commissioner and former NSW attorney-general John Hatzistergos, with Rob Ranken SC and Grainne Marsden as counsel assisting. In 2023, the corruption watchdog found two former Transport for NSW employees awarded roads and maritime contracts in exchange for more than $7 million in benefits from mid-2010 to about mid-2019. Allegations that public servants rigged lucrative government contracts for kickbacks will form the centre of a major corruption inquiry. During an estimated six weeks of public hearings beginning on Monday, an integrity watchdog will probe whether several Transport for NSW employees were favourable or dishonest in awarding tenders to private companies dating back to 2012. Transport for NSW is responsible for issuing contracts to private companies for new works and maintenance, with companies vying for multimillion-dollar jobs after being placed on a panel. A NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption investigation led to raids on the head office of Protection Barriers Pty Ltd, one of the state's biggest roadworks companies, in September. Government records show the business secured significant deals worth more than $110 million from Transport for NSW for road safety work during the past decade. One state employee told Nine's A Current Affair the company was given preferential access to tenders. "They (Protection Barriers) should have been doing seven million worth of work a year - in actual fact, they were doing nearly $30 million worth of work a year," Adele Graham told the program. Luxury cars were seized from the company's headquarters in northern NSW in raids led by the commission before the firm fell into voluntary administration in March. Company founder Jason Chellew is set to face the inquiry on Monday, followed by his wife Meshel on Wednesday. The inquiry will also hear from Peco and Saso Jankulovski, directors of Complete Linemarking Services Pty Ltd, later in the week. The six-week inquiry will be presided over by chief commissioner and former NSW attorney-general John Hatzistergos, with Rob Ranken SC and Grainne Marsden as counsel assisting. In 2023, the corruption watchdog found two former Transport for NSW employees awarded roads and maritime contracts in exchange for more than $7 million in benefits from mid-2010 to about mid-2019.
Perth Now
13-07-2025
- Business
- Perth Now
Rigged contracts the focus of transport kickbacks probe
Allegations that public servants rigged lucrative government contracts for kickbacks will form the centre of a major corruption inquiry. During an estimated six weeks of public hearings beginning on Monday, an integrity watchdog will probe whether several Transport for NSW employees were favourable or dishonest in awarding tenders to private companies dating back to 2012. Transport for NSW is responsible for issuing contracts to private companies for new works and maintenance, with companies vying for multimillion-dollar jobs after being placed on a panel. A NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption investigation led to raids on the head office of Protection Barriers Pty Ltd, one of the state's biggest roadworks companies, in September. Government records show the business secured significant deals worth more than $110 million from Transport for NSW for road safety work during the past decade. One state employee told Nine's A Current Affair the company was given preferential access to tenders. "They (Protection Barriers) should have been doing seven million worth of work a year - in actual fact, they were doing nearly $30 million worth of work a year," Adele Graham told the program. Luxury cars were seized from the company's headquarters in northern NSW in raids led by the commission before the firm fell into voluntary administration in March. Company founder Jason Chellew is set to face the inquiry on Monday, followed by his wife Meshel on Wednesday. The inquiry will also hear from Peco and Saso Jankulovski, directors of Complete Linemarking Services Pty Ltd, later in the week. The six-week inquiry will be presided over by chief commissioner and former NSW attorney-general John Hatzistergos, with Rob Ranken SC and Grainne Marsden as counsel assisting. In 2023, the corruption watchdog found two former Transport for NSW employees awarded roads and maritime contracts in exchange for more than $7 million in benefits from mid-2010 to about mid-2019.
The Advertiser
24-06-2025
- Politics
- The Advertiser
Premier's ex-partner spun 'deviated' yarn on $48m deal
Former state MP Daryl Maguire created an inaccurate story about an expected cut from a multi-million property deal days before facing a corruption inquiry, a court has revealed. The former member for Wagga Wagga, whose clandestine relationship with ex-NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian led to her political downfall, gave his altered evidence during a NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption hearing in July 2018. After Maguire was found guilty on Friday of misleading ICAC, details about Magistrate Clare Farnan's verdict were released on Tuesday. The Local Court judgment reveals that the ex-MP knew he would be asked about expected financial benefits but knowingly misled the corruption probe. At ICAC, Maguire was questioned about what he expected to get out of the sale of an estimated $48 million property development in Campsie in Sydney's southwest. ICAC grilled Maguire and others in 2018 under Operation Dasha, which probed allegations of corruption at the local Canterbury council. At a criminal hearing earlier in 2025, crown prosecutors estimated that the former MP would have gained $720,000 from the deal had it gone through. At ICAC, he initially denied expecting a cut but then changed his evidence after covertly recorded telephone conversations showed he wanted a financial benefit at the time. Three days before being grilled at the corruption probe, he spoke to former Wagga Wagga City Council general manager Alan Eldridge about what he would say. "I never asked for a dollar, they never offered a dollar nor would I take a dollar," he said. Ms Farnan noted evidence he had never asked for money then "deviated" when faced with phone calls where he had. This change in evidence was not done out of inadvertence, carelessness or a misunderstanding, the magistrate said. Three days earlier, his mind had been focused on what he would say about the proposed property deal, she found. "He clearly had a recollection of it. He had thought about it. He had developed a story about it that was not accurate," Ms Farnan said. "I am satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that Mr Maguire gave the evidence I have found to be misleading knowing that it was misleading and not believing it to be true." 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. Former state MP Daryl Maguire created an inaccurate story about an expected cut from a multi-million property deal days before facing a corruption inquiry, a court has revealed. The former member for Wagga Wagga, whose clandestine relationship with ex-NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian led to her political downfall, gave his altered evidence during a NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption hearing in July 2018. After Maguire was found guilty on Friday of misleading ICAC, details about Magistrate Clare Farnan's verdict were released on Tuesday. The Local Court judgment reveals that the ex-MP knew he would be asked about expected financial benefits but knowingly misled the corruption probe. At ICAC, Maguire was questioned about what he expected to get out of the sale of an estimated $48 million property development in Campsie in Sydney's southwest. ICAC grilled Maguire and others in 2018 under Operation Dasha, which probed allegations of corruption at the local Canterbury council. At a criminal hearing earlier in 2025, crown prosecutors estimated that the former MP would have gained $720,000 from the deal had it gone through. At ICAC, he initially denied expecting a cut but then changed his evidence after covertly recorded telephone conversations showed he wanted a financial benefit at the time. Three days before being grilled at the corruption probe, he spoke to former Wagga Wagga City Council general manager Alan Eldridge about what he would say. "I never asked for a dollar, they never offered a dollar nor would I take a dollar," he said. Ms Farnan noted evidence he had never asked for money then "deviated" when faced with phone calls where he had. This change in evidence was not done out of inadvertence, carelessness or a misunderstanding, the magistrate said. Three days earlier, his mind had been focused on what he would say about the proposed property deal, she found. "He clearly had a recollection of it. He had thought about it. He had developed a story about it that was not accurate," Ms Farnan said. "I am satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that Mr Maguire gave the evidence I have found to be misleading knowing that it was misleading and not believing it to be true." 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. Former state MP Daryl Maguire created an inaccurate story about an expected cut from a multi-million property deal days before facing a corruption inquiry, a court has revealed. The former member for Wagga Wagga, whose clandestine relationship with ex-NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian led to her political downfall, gave his altered evidence during a NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption hearing in July 2018. After Maguire was found guilty on Friday of misleading ICAC, details about Magistrate Clare Farnan's verdict were released on Tuesday. The Local Court judgment reveals that the ex-MP knew he would be asked about expected financial benefits but knowingly misled the corruption probe. At ICAC, Maguire was questioned about what he expected to get out of the sale of an estimated $48 million property development in Campsie in Sydney's southwest. ICAC grilled Maguire and others in 2018 under Operation Dasha, which probed allegations of corruption at the local Canterbury council. At a criminal hearing earlier in 2025, crown prosecutors estimated that the former MP would have gained $720,000 from the deal had it gone through. At ICAC, he initially denied expecting a cut but then changed his evidence after covertly recorded telephone conversations showed he wanted a financial benefit at the time. Three days before being grilled at the corruption probe, he spoke to former Wagga Wagga City Council general manager Alan Eldridge about what he would say. "I never asked for a dollar, they never offered a dollar nor would I take a dollar," he said. Ms Farnan noted evidence he had never asked for money then "deviated" when faced with phone calls where he had. This change in evidence was not done out of inadvertence, carelessness or a misunderstanding, the magistrate said. Three days earlier, his mind had been focused on what he would say about the proposed property deal, she found. "He clearly had a recollection of it. He had thought about it. He had developed a story about it that was not accurate," Ms Farnan said. "I am satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that Mr Maguire gave the evidence I have found to be misleading knowing that it was misleading and not believing it to be true." 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. Former state MP Daryl Maguire created an inaccurate story about an expected cut from a multi-million property deal days before facing a corruption inquiry, a court has revealed. The former member for Wagga Wagga, whose clandestine relationship with ex-NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian led to her political downfall, gave his altered evidence during a NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption hearing in July 2018. After Maguire was found guilty on Friday of misleading ICAC, details about Magistrate Clare Farnan's verdict were released on Tuesday. The Local Court judgment reveals that the ex-MP knew he would be asked about expected financial benefits but knowingly misled the corruption probe. At ICAC, Maguire was questioned about what he expected to get out of the sale of an estimated $48 million property development in Campsie in Sydney's southwest. ICAC grilled Maguire and others in 2018 under Operation Dasha, which probed allegations of corruption at the local Canterbury council. At a criminal hearing earlier in 2025, crown prosecutors estimated that the former MP would have gained $720,000 from the deal had it gone through. At ICAC, he initially denied expecting a cut but then changed his evidence after covertly recorded telephone conversations showed he wanted a financial benefit at the time. Three days before being grilled at the corruption probe, he spoke to former Wagga Wagga City Council general manager Alan Eldridge about what he would say. "I never asked for a dollar, they never offered a dollar nor would I take a dollar," he said. Ms Farnan noted evidence he had never asked for money then "deviated" when faced with phone calls where he had. This change in evidence was not done out of inadvertence, carelessness or a misunderstanding, the magistrate said. Three days earlier, his mind had been focused on what he would say about the proposed property deal, she found. "He clearly had a recollection of it. He had thought about it. He had developed a story about it that was not accurate," Ms Farnan said. "I am satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that Mr Maguire gave the evidence I have found to be misleading knowing that it was misleading and not believing it to be true." 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.
Perth Now
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Perth Now
Premier's ex-partner spun 'deviated' yarn on $48m deal
Former state MP Daryl Maguire created an inaccurate story about an expected cut from a multi-million property deal days before facing a corruption inquiry, a court has revealed. The former member for Wagga Wagga, whose clandestine relationship with ex-NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian led to her political downfall, gave his altered evidence during a NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption hearing in July 2018. After Maguire was found guilty on Friday of misleading ICAC, details about Magistrate Clare Farnan's verdict were released on Tuesday. The Local Court judgment reveals that the ex-MP knew he would be asked about expected financial benefits but knowingly misled the corruption probe. At ICAC, Maguire was questioned about what he expected to get out of the sale of an estimated $48 million property development in Campsie in Sydney's southwest. ICAC grilled Maguire and others in 2018 under Operation Dasha, which probed allegations of corruption at the local Canterbury council. At a criminal hearing earlier in 2025, crown prosecutors estimated that the former MP would have gained $720,000 from the deal had it gone through. At ICAC, he initially denied expecting a cut but then changed his evidence after covertly recorded telephone conversations showed he wanted a financial benefit at the time. Three days before being grilled at the corruption probe, he spoke to former Wagga Wagga City Council general manager Alan Eldridge about what he would say. "I never asked for a dollar, they never offered a dollar nor would I take a dollar," he said. Ms Farnan noted evidence he had never asked for money then "deviated" when faced with phone calls where he had. This change in evidence was not done out of inadvertence, carelessness or a misunderstanding, the magistrate said. Three days earlier, his mind had been focused on what he would say about the proposed property deal, she found. "He clearly had a recollection of it. He had thought about it. He had developed a story about it that was not accurate," Ms Farnan said. "I am satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that Mr Maguire gave the evidence I have found to be misleading knowing that it was misleading and not believing it to be true." 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.
