Gladys Berejiklian resigns

Situations vacant: Premier of New South Wales and, shortly, member for Willoughby.

Gladys Berejiklian announced her resignation today after a few months shy of five years as Premier of New South Wales, after the state’s Independent Commission Against Corruption announced it would investigate her in relation to the activities of former MP Daryl Maguire. This makes her the third Liberal Premier to have fallen foul of ICAC since it was established by Nick Greiner’s government in 1989, after Nick Greiner himself in 1992 and Barry O’Farrell in 2014.

There will now be a Liberal leadership contest to determine who replaces her as Premier, which the Sydney Morning Herald reports is likely to be between Treasurer Dominic Perrottet and Planning Minister Rob Stokes. She will also shortly quit parliament, which will mean a by-election for her safe Liberal seat of Willoughby.

Author: William Bowe

William Bowe is a Perth-based election analyst and occasional teacher of political science. His blog, The Poll Bludger, has existed in one form or another since 2004, and is one of the most heavily trafficked websites on Australian politics.

102 comments on “Gladys Berejiklian resigns”

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  1. As a life long ALP voter it pains me to be critical of any ALP member but what is it with Tanya P. first her feature story about ( to her at least) unlikely friendship with ” right out there” right winger Alan Jones and now fulsome praise for Gladys the so called saviour of Aussie. To me sitting north of the NSW border she is responsible for two outbreaks that first of all let the virus into the country on the cruise ship then allowed the delta strain to take off by not acting quickly enough. She has a cloud over her integrity that has been treated as a woman done wrong by a deceitful male by the Sydney Murdochcracy. I imagine if AP up here had been under a similar cloud the Courier would have treated the allegations somewhat differently. The crux for me though is what ails the NSW ALP that they would spring to the defence of the opposition yet I hardly saw even a bit of help for AP during last year’s Qld election. Does the NSW Labor party know who the enemy is? Barry Cassidy certainly does in his referring of Tanya’s support for our Gladys. Albo calls himself a professional tory fighter time to put on the knuckle dusters I think. Also what is Tanya P. doing being mates with the guy who wanted to throw her former boss and pioneer Gillard into Sydney Harbour wrapped in the chaff bag. How about people like Tanya praising the successes of her own side (AP and McGowan) rather than buying into the LNP Gladys is the best narrative.

  2. Jesus, Professor Pru Goward is on RN at the moment running the same line she ran last night on The Drum about how this intensely proper, intensely private woman, Gladys Berejiklian, has been wronged by everybody. Geraldine Doogue has joined in now, reminding us of Gladys’ connection to the Armenian Massacre.

  3. Gladys legitimised pork barrelling- she took politics down another notch in this country- and that is some achievement in the Abbott/ Morrison era.

  4. Torchbearer Obied was only a few years ago and that was full scale money changing hand corruption. When you are that partisan you become irrelevant.

  5. Like I said the News and commentary understand what a good premier Berejiklian was one of the best premiers Australian has had in recent memory. Lead NSW through drought fire and the virus. Hell of a resume.

  6. steelydan

    Gladys also had sports rorts, and bushfire rorts, drought rorts, where the funding only went to lib/nats seats

    Its a pity NSW ICAC cannot look into the ruby princess , private hotel security quarantine , the reason for not locking down NSW earlier and allowing the spread of the virus

  7. Scott. Bullshit just partisan lies if there was a single grain of truth the media and ICAC would have been all over it. Just demented hatred of anyone liberal. Particularly successful LNP leaders.

  8. Steelydan says:
    Saturday, October 2, 2021 at 8:30 am
    Scott. Bullshit just partisan lies if there was a single grain of truth the media and ICAC would have been all over it. Just demented hatred of anyone liberal. Particularly successful LNP leaders.

    ————-
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/nsw-premier-gladys-berejiklian-embroiled-in-grant-rorting-claims-20200703-p558py.html

    NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian directly approved more than $100 million in council grants in Coalition-held electorates before last year’s state election, sparking a parliamentary inquiry over allegations of rorting.

    A series of emails seen by the Herald show the NSW Stronger Communities Fund, originally set up by the Baird government to help merged councils, was used by the offices of the Premier and Deputy Premier John Barilaro to orchestrate funding announcements for seats across the state.

  11. Those coming out in defence of the former NSW Premier, other than to say “in my dealings with her” will be tested by the process of the ICAC inquiries into the former NSW Premier and the now concurrent inquiry into her secret partner of 5 years

    The secret partner was attempting to establish his financial circumstances – where the first question is, why is a Member of Parliament of his age attempting to secure his financial position?

    And if the catalyst was a fraught financial position, why?

    He was accordingly involved in multiple transactions including in regards immigration

    The funding of projects in the seat he held is only part of the inquiry into him

    In terms of “my dealings with her” you isolate your response to what you do know – so you can equally be shocked at her wider involvement which was unknown to you

    References are always couched “from my knowledge and from my associations, I have found ………. to be a person of ability and good repute”

    No one else can defend the former NSW Premier before ICAC but herself – under Oath and in response to forensic questioning

    Then you get Morrison, forewarned no doubt, in the media spotlight 5 minutes before the former NSW Premier

    Which speaks to the unfortunate character of Morrison in my view

    As Hewson said a Marketeer out of his depth

    In regards the appropriation of State monies, which is part only of the reason for the inquiry into the former Premier of NSW you would assess, Morrison and the government he leads are in the exact same circumstance

    Before you get to the activities of the former partner to secure his financial position – whilst a Member of Parliament

    Why has the former Premier of NSW abandoned her secret partner of 5 years as she has, casting aspersions on him in the process and playing the innocent victim?

    More questions than answers

  13. Observer

    This is the problem with ICAC is your guilty just from an investigation. She will come out clean or at worst showed poor judgement in partners, but the damage is done. Damage also to ICAC.

  14. Observer

    This is the problem with ICAC is your guilty just from an investigation. She will come out clean or at worst showed poor judgement in partners, but the damage is done. Damage also to ICAC.

  15. Sportsbet market on next NSW Premier

    13:30 | NSW Politics
    1 Market
    Next Premier After Gladys Berejiklian

    Dominic Perrottet 1.35
    Rob Stokes 3.00
    Matt Kean 6.00
    Stuart Ayres7.50
    Andrew Constance 13.00
    Brad Hazzard 15.00
    Victor Dominello 15.00
    David Elliot 17.00
    Mark Speakman 17.00
    Anthony Roberts 21.00
    Shelley Hancock 26.00

  16. ICAC is – deliberately – under resourced. It relies upon funding from the Premier’s office. It has to pick and choose its investigations carefully because of this budgetary constraints and the fear of further budgetary reprisals if it steps out of line too far. A scandal of the first order.

    As a consequence, the Sidoti inquiry has dragged on. THE NSW Labor Party Chinese Dinner inquiry is over 3 years old, and public hearings ended two years ago. No finality to that either. ICAC declined to take the Parakelia inquiry further in 2015 – which had at that stage knocked over a Premier and caused 10 Liberal MPs and 1 independent MP to resigning the first term of this awful, no good, mafioso style government that prides itself as ‘pro business’ but in fact is merely a concierge service to developer and bankster maates, and maaates in the clubs and pub industry (and for the Nats: maaaaates in the multinational agribusiness and cotton industry) who have designs on pillaging the public estate and assets of the state.

    So when Steelydan gets on here and runs the line that the one ICAC inquiry running into KoalaKiller is a bit of storm in a tea cup and if things were as bad as us Labor partisans make out, then ICAC would be on to all of THAT, Shenanigans.

    If one wants to work out just how bad this awful, no good, very bad government is, and has been, especially the record of KoalaKiller: start with the Sydney Light Rail program and work your way forward in time from there to now. Sydeny West Metro aside (and we give praise in passing to the vision of Morris Iemma) it is a rolling litany of terrible government. The worst I have experienced, or even read about in NSW’s history. ICAC simply can’t keep up.

  17. The former Premier of NSW has publicly denied she is the subject of an ICAC inquiry

    She is

    The details of the inquiry have now been made public

    The defence of partisan voices is what it is – irrelevant

    The former Premier of NSW threw her partner of 5 years under a bus, presenting herself as a victim of his actions and activities, activities given public prominence by ICAC examination

  18. The Commonwealth of Amnesia is only spared Czar Rupert’s most egregious attacks against our democracy (compared with America) because our election processes are run by independent commissions. Nonetheless, Coalition leaders ultimately serve at his pleasure. Some might get more uppity (akin to, say, Thomas More with Henry VIII) in the short term, but all must be “fit for purpose” winners or be removed.

    The following reality check from News.com.au by Shannon Malloy would never be published without the Emperor’s approval: Analysis: Gladys Berejiklian is popular and well-liked, so her resignation is sad – but don’t cry for her

    Mike Carlton linked it on Twitter, or I’d never have seen it. Clearly, this supports what I propound regarding Czar Rupert pulling the plug on another leader when she became of no further use. Her bizarre farewell pity party was evidence that, all along, she believed Czar Rupe was going to support her doing “a Neville Wran”.

    Doubtless, his pollsters had revealed that her reelection was way too great of a risk when what would be at stake is the Czar losing hegemony over Australia’s entire Eastern and Western seaboards.

  19. LNP has made an art form of removing Premiers and PMs without causing any resentment in the public (please don’t point to Wentworth by-election as an example of resentment. It is an exception to the rule). IMO, it is because LNP and media are in bed with each other like You scratch my back I scratch yours. The reason why Bob Carr (A Labor premier) was successful is because he knew how the media works as he was a journalist once.
    Since 2011 3 LNP Premiers resigned (one in each term) because of stench of corruption but hesterday there were only eulogies for Gladys in media (no exception whether it our ABC or commercial media). And people will not vote for NSW Labor because of corruption before 2011.
    Take the coverage of Murdoch hacks of the current Delta outbreak. Absolutely no bad news on COVID on front page and very muted, if any, criticism of Gladys on back pages. I watched 9 news everyday of this outbreak. They just presented the COVID and Vaccination numbers but absolutely no criticism of Gladys. Yesterday when I watched 9 news there were glowing tributes of Gladys and not a single line of criticism. Infact they blamed ICAC for its announcement of investigation on Gladys during this time of pandemic.
    They also showed a video of Peter Overton grovelling interview with her and how he was embedded with her in her daily routine like catching a bus.
    I only see gnashing of teeth and expressing outrage over Gladys and LNP in general only on PB. But outside the MSM has completely whitewashed misdeeds and sins of Gladys and LNP.

    If ALP behaved like LNP is behaving now, LNP will be leading 60-40 on TPP.

  20. ”
    Steelydansays:
    Saturday, October 2, 2021 at 8:11 am
    Torchbearer Obied was only a few years ago and that was full scale money changing hand corruption. When you are that partisan you become irrelevant.
    ”

    Like you.

  21. When all is said and done, especially by her supporters on this blog and others, it boils down to one point- when asked,under oath, whether she had an relationship ( obviously other than a party/ political Minister / MP business one) with Darryl, she answered no. When the phone taps revealed otherwise, she then admitted a relationship existed.
    Forget every example of blatant pork barrelling mentioned – this one point overrides everything. Is this of no matter to her defenders?
    My great fear is that the NSW Government now will do all in its powers to limit the powers of ICAC. It appears that its Federal counterparts are doing everything to prevent a Federal version and in yet another Liberal State, South Australia, a drastically- depowered version has been set up by the Government.
    It appears that Liberal Party governments are very frightened of the accountability for their actions. But this applies to politicians of all Parties and Governments.
    Our democracy is threatened by by this behaviour.

  22. Ven @ 9:52

    Barrie Cassidy, expressing his outrage with the following Tweet, emphatically concurs with your viewpoint about ABC News coverage of the Premier’s resignation:

    The very model of a successful multicultural story says the ABC .., get a grip. She’s quitting because of corruption investigations. What the hell has happened to scepticism, political standards?

  23. PrincePlanet;

    Everyone says nice things about Politicians when they are leaving.

    There are few votes to be won attacking people who are no longer a threat, but if you can get people who didnt vote for you to listen to you, maybe you can do something with that sometime.

    Putting gladys up on a pedestal makes it easier to make her replacement look bad in comparison.

  24. Nearly 5 years on the job but the timing of her resignation means the only thing she will be remembered as is the person who brought covid to australia by refusing to lockdown early enough and refusing to do a ring of steel. Will it be the hundreds of people she killed or the billions of dollars it cost nsw, vic, act and soon Queensland that she is remembered for most?

  26. From social media it seems gladys was a premier who came to represent people from all states who wanted a lax approach to covid and conservative women who wanted more female representation. Sympathetic to the second cause, not too thrilled about the first. In the end im glad we have strict anti corruption standards and hope they only get stricter

  29. It is the male domination of the nsw gov that should be investigated, not a well respected lady politician who has worked so hard for nsw.

  31. Sprocket,

    That’s a total bullshit market.

    It adds up to more than 200%.

    They obviously don’t want anyone to bet.

  32. “Confessionssays:
    Saturday, October 2, 2021 at 5:45 am
    Antony Green looks at the coming by-election in Willoughby”…

    That’s a very safe Liberal seat, but it can still send a message if the primary vote and the 2PP of the Liberal party decrease significantly…
    It’s going to be interesting to watch.

  33. “Geoffsays:
    Saturday, October 2, 2021 at 5:09 pm
    It is the male domination of the nsw gov that should be investigated, not a well respected lady politician who has worked so hard for nsw.”…

    I agree, engaging in corrupt practices does take time and effort.. and the Binchicken seems to have worked quite hard on that…. Let’s see what the ICAC investigation uncovers…and who else is going to get trapped into the investigative spider web……

  34. “Voice endeavoursays:
    Saturday, October 2, 2021 at 1:06 pm
    Nearly 5 years on the job but the timing of her resignation means the only thing she will be remembered as is the person who brought covid to australia by refusing to lockdown early enough and refusing to do a ring of steel. Will it be the hundreds of people she killed or the billions of dollars it cost nsw, vic, act and soon Queensland that she is remembered for most?”…

    In fact, to be even more precise, the Binchicken and her incompetence are responsible for both the First and the Third Covid waves. Dan can be made responsible for the Second Covid wave which, however, rapidly went down thanks to his fast and decisive action…. Clearly, the Binchicken is so ideologically deluded that she didn’t learn anything from the experiences of the First and Second Covid waves.

  35. “Scottsays:
    Saturday, October 2, 2021 at 8:22 am
    steelydan

    Gladys also had sports rorts, and bushfire rorts, drought rorts, where the funding only went to lib/nats seats

    Its a pity NSW ICAC cannot look into the ruby princess , private hotel security quarantine , the reason for not locking down NSW earlier and allowing the spread of the virus”

    Many are advocating for a Covid RC once ScuMo and his Gang are booted out at the coming Federal election, and the pandemic can be regarded to be under control.

  37. The NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) will hold a further public inquiry in Operation Keppel from 10:00 am on Monday 18 October 2021.

    The Commission is investigating whether, between 2012 and 2018, the Hon Gladys Berejiklian MP engaged in conduct that:

    constituted or involved a breach of public trust by exercising public functions in circumstances where she was in a position of conflict between her public duties and her private interest as a person who was in a personal relationship with the then NSW Member of Parliament, Mr Daryl Maguire, in connection with: grant funding promised and/or awarded to the Australian Clay Target Association Inc in 2016/2017; and grant funding promised and/or awarded to the Riverina Conservatorium of Music in Wagga Wagga in 2018; and/or
    constituted or involved the partial exercise of any of her official functions, in connection with: grant funding promised and/or awarded to the Australian Clay Target Association Inc in 2016/2017; grant funding promised and/or awarded to the Riverina Conservatorium of Music in Wagga Wagga in 2018; and/or
    constituted or involved the dishonest or partial exercise of any of her official functions and/or a breach of public trust by refusing to exercise her duty pursuant to section 11 of the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 1988 to report any matter that she suspected on reasonable grounds concerned or may concern corrupt conduct in relation to the conduct of Mr Daryl Maguire; and/or
    was liable to allow or encourage the occurrence of corrupt conduct by Mr Maguire.
    The Commission is also investigating whether, between 2012 and August 2018, Mr Maguire engaged in conduct that involved a breach of public trust by using his public office, involving his duties as a member of the NSW Parliament, and the use of parliamentary resources, to improperly gain a benefit for himself, G8wayInternational/G8wayInternational Pty Ltd and associated persons.

    The general scope and purpose of the public inquiry is to gather evidence relevant to the matters being investigated for the purpose of determining the matters referred to in section 13(2) of the ICAC Act.

  38. https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/andrew-constance-set-to-resign-from-nsw-parliament-for-federal-tilt-20211003-p58wqo.html

    NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance is set to resign from state politics and nominate for preselection for the federal seat of Gilmore.

    The veteran Bega MP had been considering a tilt to replace Gladys Berejiklian after she resigned as NSW premier on Friday, but will instead attempt to move to federal politics ahead of the 2022 election.

  40. Today’s Daily Telegraph explains why, at the minimum, GB is in some real bother over a potential breach of her disclosure obligations as a minister under s. 11(2) of the ICAC Act. It’s very hard to see a way out of that problem for her. She faces a lot more pain over coming weeks and months and may yet have an impact on Scomo (who will be weighing the risks and may well be tempted into going for a snap election as a result, before too much more damaging dirt is revealed). All in all it’s a salutary reminder of the need for those who hold public office (particularly Ministers) to be careful about whose company they keep.

  42. ‘PrincePlanet says:
    Saturday, October 2, 2021 at 7:43 am

    As a life long ALP voter it pains me to be critical of any ALP member…’
    ______________________________
    …especially when there is a conga line of out-and-out crooks, liars, and incompetents to choose from in the Liberals and Nationals.
    Pin your ears back, pal! Go for it!

  43. Constance is only looking for a comfortable backbench sinecure. Perhaps the voters of Gilmour might not fall for this. After all, he was sniffing around Eden Monaro by-election.

  44. I can see a poor quality Wagga TV ad for Dodgy Daryl’s Dollar Dazzler Bargains on Baylis:
    “I’ve got good quality Chinese made plastic furniture going cheap. Make an offer. I do visas. I do deals. Come and see me on Baylis Street”.
    “We have satisfied customers at Wagga RSL, the Australian Clay Target Association and the Conservatorium of Music. Cheapest of cheap Chinese quality guaranteed. And visas. I do cheap visas. Make an offer”.
    Enough to make an ashen-faced, ICAC-bound secret former girlfriend blush.

  50. How long before Dominic Perrottet tries his hand at privatising public transport, public health and public education?
    He’s a taller, less ‘charismatic’, cranially hirsute version of the Lying Rodent, with a hint of the Mad Monk about him.

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