Daryl Maguire takes aim at media as he defends record following corruption finding

Key PointsDaryl Maguire has broken his silence after ICAC announced his findings against him last week.ICAC found he repeatedly used his public office to enrich himself and should be considered for criminal prosecution.Lawyers for the former NSW Liberal MP said he worked tirelessly for his constituents.

The disgraced Liberal politician whose romance with Gladys Berejiklian led to her resignation as NSW premier has defended his record as a “tireless” local MP despite damning corruption findings.

A six-year investigation by the state’s corruption watchdog into Daryl Maguire last week

, in part by keeping their six-year “close personal relationship” secret until it was exposed at an inquiry hearing.

The pair agreed they had holidayed together, discussed marrying each other and once contemplated having a child together.

While under compulsory examination by the Independent Commission Against Corruption, Mr Maguire also admitted he had sought to “monetise” his position as an MP and parliamentary secretary.

He also conceded he wanted to keep his role in a networking company “off the books” to conceal payments and avoid scrutiny.

But Mr Maguire on Monday pointed to his achievements as a local MP in a two-page statement, stressing the presumption of innocence should be respected.

“Let it not be forgotten that during (Mr Maguire’s) time representing the people of Wagga and region he worked tirelessly for his constituents,” a statement issued by his lawyers said.

“Indeed, he was described in evidence as a dog with a bone, a vociferous advocate for the electorate or a ‘pain in the arse’ when it came to getting improvements for the Wagga electorate.”

Intercepted tapes played during ICAC hearings showed Mr Maguire had discussed his struggles to get a $170 million upgrade to the Tumut Hospital.

“I will deal with it, I will fix it,” Ms Berejiklian told him at the time.

But Mr Maguire said funding for both the Tumut and Wagga hospitals was long overdue and made with departmental support.

His “tenacity and sheer dogged determination” resulted in the upgrades, the statement said.

“Again, his support was entirely without any expectation of any personnel (sic) benefit,” it said.

Mr Maguire also hit out at the media for drones being flown over his property and the privacy of his family and staff being invaded.

“There have been three traffic collisions caused by media doing unsafe u turns in front of oncoming cars, parking unsafely, speeding and following young women to their work at 5am on at least two occasions,” the statement said.

Several ICAC findings against Mr Maguire relate to a networking firm, G8wayInternational, that Mr Maguire and his associates fired up a year after the Coalition won the 2011 election.

He also allegedly ran a fraudulent cash-for-visa scheme.

There was no evidence Ms Berejiklian knew of those endeavours.

The finding of corrupt conduct against her centred on her continued execution of ministerial powers while failing to publicly declare her relationship with a colleague.

Unlike Ms Berejiklian, Mr Maguire was referred by ICAC for possible prosecution over alleged misconduct in public office between 2012 and 2018.

Mr Maguire, 64, is already facing criminal charges stemming from conduct exposed at the earlier ICAC inquiry, including for giving false and misleading evidence to the inquiry. He is yet to enter pleas.

A six-year investigation by NSW’s corruption watchdog into Daryl Maguire last week found both he and former premier Gladys Berejiklian acted corruptly. Source: AAP

Last week’s ICAC report revealed the watchdog had seized text messages that contradicted the two former MPs’ suggestion their relationship began in 2015.

Messages “consistent with physical and emotional intimacy and a romantic relationship” were being exchanged by early 2014, it said.

After the release of the ICAC findings, NSW Liberal leader Mark Speakman lambasted his former Wagga colleague for bringing “disgrace upon the parliament”.

Senior Liberal figures have meanwhile dismissed or played down findings against Ms Berejiklian, emphasising the lack of a financial benefit to her.

“She chose a bum, basically, and he was a bad guy,”

.

ICAC made 18 recommendations to address weaknesses in the NSW ministerial code of conduct.

Those recommendations were being closely examined by the government, acting Premier Prue Car said on Monday.

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