A Liberal state politician has quit the party after being caught boasting about how he could potentially profit from the sale of a $51million property to Chinese developers.
Daryl Maguire stood down from the Liberal party on Friday night after fronting an Independent Commission Against Corruption inquiry but will remain in the New South Wales state parliament as an independent.
But acting New South Wales Opposition Leader Michael Daley has called on him to resign from politics entirely after the secret recordings of the discussion were played at a Sydney corruption inquiry.
Liberal state politician Daryl Maguire (pictured) has quit the party after being caught boasting about how he could profit from the sale of a $51 million property to Chinese developers
The recorded conversations, played at the ICAC hearing, were of Mr Maguire trying to strike a deal in 2016 with then-Canterbury City councillor Michael Hawatt.
The Wagga Wagga MP later issued a short apology on his Facebook page for breaching the ‘strict code of conduct’ and causing ‘distress and embarrassment’ to the party.
Acting NSW opposition leader Michael Daley says while Premier Gladys Berejiklian – who is on leave – has ‘no power to compel anyone to go’, Mr Maguire should not be allowed to remain on the crossbench as ‘a lame duck wrongdoer’ until the state election in March.
He said parliament has the power ‘to exclude’ a member but that would be ‘a pretty drastic and ugly thing to do’ when it resumes next month.
Acting NSW opposition leader Michael Daley said NSW parliament (pictured) has the power ‘to exclude’ a member but that would be ‘a pretty drastic and ugly thing to do’ when it resumes next month.
‘The cleanest, most just and easiest thing to do now would be for the premier to say ‘Daryl, on ya bike’ and he should go,’ Mr Daley said.
Mr Maguire has quit his role as parliamentary secretary for counter terrorism, corrections, veterans and the Centenary of ANZAC.
He told the ICAC inquiry he’d never done any business with Mr Hawatt and didn’t remember much from their ‘occasional’ meetings.
But the inquiry soon heard him telling Mr Hawatt he had a client with ‘mega money’ who would be interested in a Canterbury site approved for 300 units.
Mr Daley (pictured left) said NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian (pictured right) should encourage Mr Maguire to leave parliament entirely. ‘The cleanest, most just and easiest thing to do now would be for the premier to say ‘Daryl, on ya bike’ and he should go,’ he said.
He asked the councillor what ‘margin’ he would get from the ‘quick sale’ – worth up to $51 million.
Mr Maguire denied he was an agent for the Chinese developer – Country Garden – but conceded he had ‘certainly sought to assist’ them in purchasing sites in Australia and was ‘great friends’ with the company’s Australian chief executive.
In another recording, Mr Maguire said he had asked the local government minister’s office to put forward Mr Hawatt on the new Canterbury-Bankstown advisory council.
The corruption watchdog is investigating claims of improper conduct at the now-defunct Canterbury City Council – particularly the actions of two councillors, Mr Hawatt and Pierre Azzi.
On Friday night, Acting NSW Premier John Barilaro said Mr Maguire is ‘paying the price’ for his wrongdoing.