Gladys and secret boyfriend 'talked about marriage, having children'

Gladys Berejiklian’s former boyfriend Daryl Maguire has exposed the serious nature of their secret relationship, admitting to NSW’s corruption watchdog they were in love and dreamt of marriage and children.

In an explosive hearing at the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) on Thursday, Mr Maguire divulged intimate details about their “close, personal relationship” including that they holidayed together and he had a key to Ms Berejiklian’s home.

ICAC is investigating whether the former NSW premier breached the public's trust when she failed to disclose her relationship with the former Wagga Wagga MP as she dealt with projects he was pushing for his electorate.

She has denied any wrongdoing.

Under questioning from counsel assisting the commission, Scott Robertson, Mr Maguire admitted the pair became intimate between 2015 and 2018.

"You loved her?" Mr Robertson asked.

"Yes," Mr Maguire replied.

"So far as you can ascertain, she loved you as well?

"Yes.

"We had our moments, but yes."

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Bid to keep details private denied

Ms Berejiklian’s lawyer had sought to keep parts of his evidence heard in private.

"There is no public purpose served by plumbing the depths of the private life of my client," Sophie Callan SC said.

"Doing so in public will inevitably lead to intense and irremediable publicity and public scrutiny, along with humiliation and harm."

But Assistant Commissioner Ruth McColl denied the request because the matter was “in the public interest”.

Ms Berejiklian to front inquiry

Mr Maguire was the one originally under the microscope when the ICAC began probing his business dealings.

However, the spotlight sensationally turned to Ms Berejiklian when she revealed during public hearings last year that the pair had been in a “close, personal relationship” which spanned several years.

She told the inquiry the pair's relationship was not of "sufficient status" to disclose to anyone.

Her bombshell admission shocked the state and sparked a separate investigation into her own conduct, which led to her resignation as premier on October 1.

Ms Berejiklian's former chief of staffs gave evidence at the inquiry this week with only Sarah Cruickshank aware the pair had been in a relationship before it was was revealed in the course of an ICAC investigation into Mr Maguire last year.

But on Wednesday under questioning Ms Cruickshank admitted the former premier had lied to her about the extent of her relationship with Mr Maguire.

Ms Berejiklian will face tough questions about her relationship in public when she gives evidence on Friday.

With AAP

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