Gladys Berejiklian and barrister boyfriend on morning stroll as ICAC prepares to hand down report

Gladys Berejiklian has been spotted enjoying a relaxing coffee date with her barrister boyfriend Arthur Moses ahead of a corruption watchdog report into her conduct as NSW premier.

Showing no signs of stress before the The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) hands down its findings on Thursday, Ms Berjeklian donned activewear as the loved-up couple held hands as they went for a walk. 

Mr Moses has also had a weight on his shoulders, having been part of war veteran Ben Roberts-Smith’s legal team which lost the ‘trial of the century’ this month. 

But her date with destiny seemed far from Ms Berejiklian’s mind as she was pictured touching up her makeup at a cafe table in Sydney on Saturday.

Former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian (pictured right) and her barrister boyfriend Arthur Moses (left) have been pictured hand-in-hand taking an early morning stroll in activewear

The couple wore matching dark caps and designer sunglasses. Mr Moses is pictured left and Ms Berejiklian is pictured right

The couple wore matching dark caps and designer sunglasses. Mr Moses is pictured left and Ms Berejiklian is pictured right

Her date with ICAC destiny seemed far from Ms Berejiklian's mind as she was pictured touching up her makeup at a cafe table

Her date with ICAC destiny seemed far from Ms Berejiklian’s mind as she was pictured touching up her makeup at a cafe table

The couple wore matching dark caps and designer sunglasses, with Mr Moses donning a black jacket while Ms Berejiklian’s was white. 

As the temperature warmed up, Ms Berejiklian took the jacket off to reveal a stylish wine-coloured top underneath.

The couple both also wore activewear pants – grey for Mr Moses and black for the former premier – and both wore sneakers, blue for him and black for her.

While seated at a cafe on Sydney’s leafy north shore, Mr Moses at one point reached over the couple’s food as Ms Berejiklian checked her phone. 

The investigation into Ms Berejiklian’s dealings began after ICAC launched inquiries into the disgraced former Liberal MP for Wagga Wagga, Daryl Maguire.

The watchdog investigated whether Mr Maguire used his role as an MP to gain a financial benefit and whether Ms Berejiklian breached the public trust during their five-year secret personal relationship.

The long-delayed final report will be delivered to the NSW Parliament on Thursday, almost two years after Ms Berejiklian resigned as premier.

The Operation Keppel report will be delivered to the parliament’s presiding officers at 9am and it will be available for public viewing if the officers make it public.

The commission revealed in January the report would not be released before the March election as it concerned complex matters of law and thousands of pages of exhibits, transcripts and submissions.

‘The commission remains conscious of its obligation to furnish the report as soon as possible after it has concluded its involvement in the matter, and continues to anticipate the report will be ready to be furnished during this quarter,’ a spokeswoman said at the time.

While seated at a cafe on Sydney's leafy north shore, Mr Moses at one point reached over the couple's food as Ms Berejiklian checked her phone

While seated at a cafe on Sydney’s leafy north shore, Mr Moses at one point reached over the couple’s food as Ms Berejiklian checked her phone

Mr Moses (right, with Gladys Berjiklian) also has a weight on his shoulders, having been part of war veteran Ben Roberts-Smith's legal team, who lost the 'trial of the century' this month

Mr Moses (right, with Gladys Berjiklian) also has a weight on his shoulders, having been part of war veteran Ben Roberts-Smith’s legal team, who lost the ‘trial of the century’ this month

Ms Berejiklian (pictured) dressed stylishly in active wear, designer sunglasses and a Nike cap

Ms Berejiklian (pictured) dressed stylishly in active wear, designer sunglasses and a Nike cap

The report is scheduled to be delivered almost 21 months after Ms Berejiklian’s resignation as premier in October 2021, and almost three years after she first gave evidence about her secret romance with Mr Maguire.

The investigation hinges on whether Ms Berejiklian’s concealment of her relationship with Mr Maguire breached the public trust, whether she improperly handled projects pursued by Mr Maguire, and if she engaged in conduct ‘liable to allow or encourage corruption’ by him.

Ms Berejiklian has denied any wrongdoing, citing concerns about likely lengthy delays in ICAC delivering its report as a reason for her resignation.

A book published last August claimed that Ms Berejiklian ‘held a torch’ for Ms Moses for years before they got together. 

‘Gladys has always held a torch for Arthur,’ a senior Liberal was quoted as saying. 

In her book The Secret, about the rise and spectacular fall of the former NSW premier, journalist Alexandra Smith said some former staffers described working for Ms Berejiklian as like working for the Queen.

‘Berejiklian would walk past them to her office; they would dare not speak to her,’ Smith wrote.

Gladys Berejiklian (right) and Arthur Moses both wore sneakers - blue for him and black for her

Gladys Berejiklian (right) and Arthur Moses both wore sneakers – blue for him and black for her 

Former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian (right) is pictured walking with her partner, barrister Arthur Moses

Former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian (right) is pictured walking with her partner, barrister Arthur Moses

The loved-up couple is pictured strolling hand-in-hand over a bridge in Sydney's north shore

The loved-up couple is pictured strolling hand-in-hand over a bridge in Sydney’s north shore

Inside ICAC’s investigation 

The NSW corruption watchdog’s delayed report into the conduct of Gladys Berejiklian will soon be delivered, more than a year and a half after the former premier resigned while waiting for the findings.

The probe into Ms Berejiklian’s dealings began after the Independent Commission Against Corruption launched inquiries into the disgraced former Liberal MP for Wagga Wagga, Daryl Maguire.

The watchdog investigated whether Mr Maguire used his role as an MP to gain a financial benefit and whether Ms Berejiklian breached the public trust during their five-year secret personal relationship.

The investigation will look into whether Ms Berejiklian: 

1. Engaged in conduct between 2012 and 2018 that was ‘liable to allow or encourage the occurrence of corrupt conduct’ by former Liberal MP Daryl Maguire, with whom she was in a close personal relationship between 2015 and 2018

2. Exercised her official functions dishonestly or partially by refusing to exercise her duty to report any reasonable suspicions about Mr Maguire to the ICAC

3. Exercised any of her official functions partially in connection with two multimillion-dollar grants in Mr Maguire’s electorate, to the Australian Clay Target Association Inc and the Riverina Conservatorium of Music.

***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk