Daryl Maguire found guilty of misleading corruption watchdog
Former NSW Liberal MP Daryl Maguire has been found guilty of giving misleading evidence to the corruption watchdog about benefits he expected to receive from the potential sale of a multimillion-dollar Sydney property.
Maguire, the former member for Wagga Wagga, provided evidence to the Independent Commission Against Corruption as it investigated Canterbury City Council in 2018.
He was found guilty on Friday morning. The offence carries a maximum penalty of two years' imprisonment.
A recorded phone call and a wiretap were key pieces of evidence in Maguire's trial, which took place in February and May this year.
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Maguire was captured speaking to then-Canterbury councillor Michael Hawatt about the potential sale of a 300-unit site in Campsie for Chinese company Country Garden to buy and develop in May 2016.
In the call, Maguire told Hawatt he 'need[ed] a few things to feed my friends', and said that they wanted '30 projects rolling'.
'My client is mega-big and got mega-money,' Maguire said.
'What's he going to give you to sell it?' Maguire asked.
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"But we have always respected each other." On Thursday, China Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun suggested displeasure at New Zealand's response to growing Cook Islands-China ties. "China's co-operation with the Cook Islands does not target any third party, and should not be disrupted or restrained by any third party," he said. New Zealand, which has a formal alliance with Australia and strong defence links with the west, prides itself on maintaining a strong ties with China. Chinese leaders, including Mr Xi, have referred to a "relationship of firsts" with New Zealand. New Zealand was the first western nation to support it joining the WTO in 1997, to designate it a market economy in 2004, to secure a free-trade deal in 2008, and signing on to its Belt and Road infrastructure network in 2017. The bilateral meeting comes amid a furious debate on the direction of foreign policy in New Zealand. 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It's not clear if that was what was Mr Xi was referring to in his welcoming remarks - the only part of their bilateral meeting which was open to media - to Mr Luxon at the Great Hall of the People on Friday. "(In the) 50 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties, the China-New Zealand relationship has experienced many ups and downs," Mr Xi said, according to reports. "But we have always respected each other." On Thursday, China Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun suggested displeasure at New Zealand's response to growing Cook Islands-China ties. "China's co-operation with the Cook Islands does not target any third party, and should not be disrupted or restrained by any third party," he said. New Zealand, which has a formal alliance with Australia and strong defence links with the west, prides itself on maintaining a strong ties with China. Chinese leaders, including Mr Xi, have referred to a "relationship of firsts" with New Zealand. 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"I appreciate your positive attitude and I'm ready to work together with you for new progress." Mr Luxon also personally praised Mr Xi, president since 2013, for strengthening bilateral ties between the two countries. "The relationship has flourished under your leadership," Mr Luxon said, keeping his eyes on trade. "We have big ambitions to grow the New Zealand economy, and building trade between New Zealand and China is a really important contribution to that." Before his political engagements in Beijing, Mr Luxon spent three days in Shanghai hawking New Zealand's produce and services. His conservative government, which took office in late 2023, has a cornerstone ambition of doubling Kiwi exports within a decade, and China - as the destination for more than 20 per cent of exported Kiwi goods and services - will be essential to reaching that. China President Xi Jinping has acknowledged at-times strained ties with New Zealand during a bilateral meeting with Chris Luxon in Beijing. Mr Luxon secured the meeting with the long-serving leader as part of what he hoped would be a trade-focused trip to China this week. Instead, tensions between his country and the Cook Islands has cast a geopolitical cloud over his meeting with Mr Xi. New Zealand has cut aid to Cook Islands after accusing it of breaching trust for inking secretly negotiated agreements with China that run contrary to a treaty that it must consult with Wellington over defence and security pacts. It's not clear if that was what was Mr Xi was referring to in his welcoming remarks - the only part of their bilateral meeting which was open to media - to Mr Luxon at the Great Hall of the People on Friday. "(In the) 50 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties, the China-New Zealand relationship has experienced many ups and downs," Mr Xi said, according to reports. "But we have always respected each other." On Thursday, China Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun suggested displeasure at New Zealand's response to growing Cook Islands-China ties. "China's co-operation with the Cook Islands does not target any third party, and should not be disrupted or restrained by any third party," he said. New Zealand, which has a formal alliance with Australia and strong defence links with the west, prides itself on maintaining a strong ties with China. Chinese leaders, including Mr Xi, have referred to a "relationship of firsts" with New Zealand. New Zealand was the first western nation to support it joining the WTO in 1997, to designate it a market economy in 2004, to secure a free-trade deal in 2008, and signing on to its Belt and Road infrastructure network in 2017. The bilateral meeting comes amid a furious debate on the direction of foreign policy in New Zealand. 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2 hours ago
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Secret's out: premier's ex-partner misled watchdog
Findings that Daryl Maguire misled a corruption probe about a $48 million property development sale can be revealed after the ex-Liberal MP lost a bid to suppress them. The former member for Wagga Wagga, whose clandestine relationship with ex-NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian led to her political downfall, appeared at Sydney's Downing Centre Courthouse for the verdict on Friday. Magistrate Clare Farnan ruled that Maguire misled the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption while giving evidence during a hearing in July 2018. Immediately after handing down her decision, Maguire applied to suppress the finding. His barrister argued publicity about his guilt would prejudice a jury in an upcoming trial over an alleged visa fraud conspiracy expected to commence in September. The bid was opposed by the ABC and Nine but backed by federal prosecutors. Ms Farnan rejected Maguire's application. "The interests of the community in open justice is in my view not outweighed by Mr Maguire's interests," the magistrate said. The magistrate's reasons for determining Maguire's guilt are not yet clear after media and the former MP himself were caught in an administrative mix-up. Another court official on Friday adjourned the case to October only for the magistrate on another level to hand down her decision, without media present. At ICAC, Maguire was asked about what he expected to get out of the sale of an estimated $48 million property development in Campsie in Sydney's southwest. During the criminal hearing earlier in 2025, prosecutors claimed Maguire changed his evidence during questioning over claims he was not expected to be reimbursed. He will face a sentence hearing on August 15. ICAC grilled Maguire and others in 2018 under Operation Dasha, which probed allegations of corruption at the local council. 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. Findings that Daryl Maguire misled a corruption probe about a $48 million property development sale can be revealed after the ex-Liberal MP lost a bid to suppress them. The former member for Wagga Wagga, whose clandestine relationship with ex-NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian led to her political downfall, appeared at Sydney's Downing Centre Courthouse for the verdict on Friday. Magistrate Clare Farnan ruled that Maguire misled the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption while giving evidence during a hearing in July 2018. Immediately after handing down her decision, Maguire applied to suppress the finding. His barrister argued publicity about his guilt would prejudice a jury in an upcoming trial over an alleged visa fraud conspiracy expected to commence in September. The bid was opposed by the ABC and Nine but backed by federal prosecutors. Ms Farnan rejected Maguire's application. "The interests of the community in open justice is in my view not outweighed by Mr Maguire's interests," the magistrate said. The magistrate's reasons for determining Maguire's guilt are not yet clear after media and the former MP himself were caught in an administrative mix-up. Another court official on Friday adjourned the case to October only for the magistrate on another level to hand down her decision, without media present. At ICAC, Maguire was asked about what he expected to get out of the sale of an estimated $48 million property development in Campsie in Sydney's southwest. During the criminal hearing earlier in 2025, prosecutors claimed Maguire changed his evidence during questioning over claims he was not expected to be reimbursed. He will face a sentence hearing on August 15. ICAC grilled Maguire and others in 2018 under Operation Dasha, which probed allegations of corruption at the local council. 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. Findings that Daryl Maguire misled a corruption probe about a $48 million property development sale can be revealed after the ex-Liberal MP lost a bid to suppress them. The former member for Wagga Wagga, whose clandestine relationship with ex-NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian led to her political downfall, appeared at Sydney's Downing Centre Courthouse for the verdict on Friday. Magistrate Clare Farnan ruled that Maguire misled the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption while giving evidence during a hearing in July 2018. Immediately after handing down her decision, Maguire applied to suppress the finding. His barrister argued publicity about his guilt would prejudice a jury in an upcoming trial over an alleged visa fraud conspiracy expected to commence in September. The bid was opposed by the ABC and Nine but backed by federal prosecutors. Ms Farnan rejected Maguire's application. "The interests of the community in open justice is in my view not outweighed by Mr Maguire's interests," the magistrate said. The magistrate's reasons for determining Maguire's guilt are not yet clear after media and the former MP himself were caught in an administrative mix-up. Another court official on Friday adjourned the case to October only for the magistrate on another level to hand down her decision, without media present. At ICAC, Maguire was asked about what he expected to get out of the sale of an estimated $48 million property development in Campsie in Sydney's southwest. During the criminal hearing earlier in 2025, prosecutors claimed Maguire changed his evidence during questioning over claims he was not expected to be reimbursed. He will face a sentence hearing on August 15. ICAC grilled Maguire and others in 2018 under Operation Dasha, which probed allegations of corruption at the local council. 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. Findings that Daryl Maguire misled a corruption probe about a $48 million property development sale can be revealed after the ex-Liberal MP lost a bid to suppress them. The former member for Wagga Wagga, whose clandestine relationship with ex-NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian led to her political downfall, appeared at Sydney's Downing Centre Courthouse for the verdict on Friday. Magistrate Clare Farnan ruled that Maguire misled the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption while giving evidence during a hearing in July 2018. Immediately after handing down her decision, Maguire applied to suppress the finding. His barrister argued publicity about his guilt would prejudice a jury in an upcoming trial over an alleged visa fraud conspiracy expected to commence in September. The bid was opposed by the ABC and Nine but backed by federal prosecutors. Ms Farnan rejected Maguire's application. "The interests of the community in open justice is in my view not outweighed by Mr Maguire's interests," the magistrate said. The magistrate's reasons for determining Maguire's guilt are not yet clear after media and the former MP himself were caught in an administrative mix-up. Another court official on Friday adjourned the case to October only for the magistrate on another level to hand down her decision, without media present. At ICAC, Maguire was asked about what he expected to get out of the sale of an estimated $48 million property development in Campsie in Sydney's southwest. During the criminal hearing earlier in 2025, prosecutors claimed Maguire changed his evidence during questioning over claims he was not expected to be reimbursed. He will face a sentence hearing on August 15. ICAC grilled Maguire and others in 2018 under Operation Dasha, which probed allegations of corruption at the local council. 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.
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4 hours ago
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Police reveal major update one year after devastating Brisbane baby coffee attack, officers ‘working hard' to find man responsible
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