In a report released on June 29,the ICAC found Berejiklian and her former partner,the former Wagga Wagga Liberal MP Daryl Maguire,had both engaged in serious corrupt conduct.
The ICACmay only make a corruption finding in a report if it considers the conduct in question is “serious corrupt conduct”.
The commission found Berejiklian breached public trust and partially exercised her official functions in 2016 and 2017,as treasurer and later premier,when the state government made a $5.5 million grant to the Australian Clay Target Association in Maguire’s electorate. She did not disclose her close personal relationship with Maguire at the time.
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It also found Berejiklian breached public trust and partially exercised her official functions in 2018 in connection with $30 million promised to the Riverina Conservatorium of Music for a recital hall,also in Maguire’s electorate. Ultimately,$20 million of that money was not paid.
The ICAC found both of these cases amounted to serious corrupt conduct,but were not “so serious as to merit criminal punishment”,which is an element of the criminal offence of misconduct in public office.
The commission found Berejiklian also engaged in serious corrupt conduct by “refusing to discharge her duty” under section 11 of the ICAC Act to report her suspicions about Maguire to the corruption watchdog. It concluded Berejiklian had “dishonestly and partially” breached the ministerial code by failing to report Maguire to the ICAC.