NSW Labor launches bid to refer Premier Gladys Berejiklian to corruption watchdog

A bid to refer Gladys Berejiklian to the corruption watchdog over her “close personal relationship” with a disgraced MP and involvement in a controversial grants program has been launched in parliament.

Labor moved the motion in the NSW upper house on Thursday, where it is expected to pass with the support of members of the crossbench.

The Greens, Animal Justice Party and Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party have indicated they will support the bid.

The AJP and SFF have previously voted against a motion of no confidence in the premier, but now say they’ve seen enough to warrant a corruption probe.

However, the motion to refer the NSW premier to the Independent Commission Against Corruption is doomed to fail in the lower house where the government has a majority.

Leader of the Opposition in the Upper House Adam Searle told reporters the vote was a significant occasion.

“(This) signifies very serious concern right across the political spectrum about these matters, and the desire from the majority, at least in the upper house, to have these matters independently and thoroughly investigated by the corruption watchdog,” he said.

The three main areas of concern are Ms Berejiklian’s relationship with disgraced ex-MP Daryl Maguire, any involvement she may have had in destroying documents relating to the alleged rorting of a $252 million government grants program, and her rejection of advice against moving the Greater Sydney Commission in to her own department.

“There’s a whole range of matters, any of which individually warrants investigation (and) are very serious, but taken together, they represent a compelling case that this premier is unfit for office,” Mr Searle said.

But Ms Berejiklian in question time accused the opposition of saying anything to score political points.

“What is clear to me is that the leader of the opposition and One Nation are very strong political allies,” she said.

The premier became embroiled in a political storm in October after revealing she had been in a long term relationship with Mr Maguire during an ICAC hearing into his alleged corrupt conduct.

She also landed in hot water after a member of her staff revealed to a parliamentary inquiry that documents showing the premier had signed off on the allocation of grants to NSW councils under the Strong Communities Fund had been destroyed.

Labor has accused the government of pork-barrelling, saying 95 per cent of the $252 million fund was handed to coalition-held seats in the lead up to the 2019 state election.

While the motion will be defeated, the ICAC has the power to convene an investigation of its own accord.