Gladys Berejiklian at a press conference after telling the ICAC she was in a secret relationship with Daryl Maguire.Credit:Jessica Hromas
Less than an hour after the release of the finding,her closest ally,NSW Liberal frontbencher Matt Kean,jumped to her defence,tweeting that the ICAC took two years to hand down its findings,only to “tell us that Gladys Berejiklian has not broken the law”.
But the ICAC,as Kean well knows,is not a court of law.
Similarly,Opposition Leader Mark Speakman brushed over the damning findings in his statement,highlighting her competencies as a premier and insisting she received no “personal financial benefit”. This does not excuse her actions.
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Just as there was an outpouring of grief from many when Berejiklian made the stunning announcement that she was resigning as premier,the bombshell ICAC findings released on Thursday will undoubtedly elicit more shock and awe from those who still view her as Saint Gladys.
But being popular and admired does not excuse bad behaviour. Berejiklian was a competent and respected leader who contributed much to public life.
But ultimately,a secret relationship with an undesirable partner which she prioritised over her public duties was her undoing.
The ICAC findings could not be more devastating or brutal for the leader once dubbed “the woman who saved Australia”. But competency matters little when you have been found to be corrupt.
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