What happens to Gladys Berejiklian now she’s been found corrupt? Why her Optus job is under threat

Former NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian’s executive position at Optus could be on on line after the state’s corruption watchdog found she committed ‘serious misconduct’ while in office. 

Ms Berejiklian was parachuted into the newly created role of Managing Director, Enterprise, Business and Institutional for the telco in February last year after she abruptly resigned as premier in 2021.

On Thursday, the Independent Commission Against Corruption said Ms Berejiklian and former member for Wagga Wagga Daryl Maguire – who were both in an undisclosed relationship – engaged in ‘serious corrupt conduct’. 

ICAC has sought advice from prosecutors regarding launching criminal proceedings against Ms Berejiklian’s former lover, but indicated they will not recommend charges be pressed against her.

The report determined: ‘The Commission is not of the opinion that consideration should be given to obtaining the advice of the DPP with respect to the prosecution of Ms Berejiklian for any offence.’ 

Regardless, the corruption findings cast doubt on whether her position at Optus – Australia’s second biggest telco – remains tenable.

Ms Berejiklian’s former top Minister Matt Kean put his spin on ICAC’s findings 

In May this year, ahead of the ICAC findings, Optus CEO Kelly Bayer Rosmarin said the company was standing by Ms Berejiklian but would reassess their position when the report was released. 

Ms Bayer Rosmarin said the ICAC investigation was connected to events that happened ‘well before Gladys joined Optus’.

‘We will have to look at the findings when they come out and that will be a matter for Gladys, and then we will decide if there is anything relevant for Optus,’ she told the Australian Financial Review.

The company was ‘not expecting’ anything to emerge that would jeopardise her role, she added.

Former political powerbroker Graham Richardson, who previously defended Ms Berejiklian, said he believes she must resign her executive job.

‘I think… she will resign. I’ll be very surprised if Optus kept her on,’ he said on Sky News.

‘There’s no joy for Gladys no matter which direction she looks. And I think that’s really sad.’

‘I think Gladys Berejiklian has hit a dead end.’ 

Ms Berejiklian holds the role of Managing Director, Enterprise, Business and Institutional at Australia’s second largest telco 

ICAC said in a statement on Thursday that between 2012 and 2018 ‘Mr Maguire improperly used his office, and the resources to which he had access as a member of Parliament, to benefit G8wayInternational Pty Ltd.’

The Commission said he was ‘in substance a director’ of the company and had arrangements with others to share in its profits.

‘Mr Maguire also failed to disclose his interest and position in G8wayInternational or all the sources of his income, as he was required to do,’ it added.

He also misused his MP position and role as chair of the NSW Parliament Asia Pacific Friendship Group to advance his, and his associates, financial interests, it said. 

The Commission found Ms Berejiklian breached the public trust in 2016 and 2017 by exercising her official functions regarding two government funded construction projects being lobbied for by Maguire.

The two Wagga Wagga based projects were the Australian Clay Target Association (ACTA), and the Riverina Conservatorium of Music (RCM).

‘Ms Berejiklian had presided over and/or been a member of the Expenditure Review Committee (ERC) meetings that had approved grants,’ it said.

The grants comprised $5.5 million for ACTA and $10 million for refurbishing and repurposing a new government-owned site to make it fit-for-purpose for the RCM (RCM Stage 1).

‘At the same time, Mr Maguire and Ms Berejiklian were in an undisclosed close personal relationship.’