In an extraordinary victory for the long-suffering people of New South Wales, Australia, Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced her resignation to the eruption of cheers from anti-COVID lockdown protestors and even uninvolved citizens. In a strange mirror to the saga of disgraced former-Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York, rather than COVID tyrant Berejiklian’s gross and autocratic mismanagement of COVID19 lockdowns, it was an instance of personal misconduct which has brought about the end of her premiership, just as Cuomo was finished by multiple reports of sexual harassment. Dominic Perrottet has been confirmed as the new Premier.
The New South Wales Independent Commission Against Corruption, is charged with rooting out corruption and policing public officials and authorities in the NSW government, created by the NSW Assembly in 1988. The ICAC has been investigating Berejiklian for breach of public trust and encouraging corrupt conduct.
News.Au reported,
“The investigation relates to the allegations surrounding her secret romantic relationship with disgraced former MP Daryl Maguire and whether she knew anything that should have been reported to corruption authorities earlier.”
The ICAC confirmed in a statement that it is investigating the allegations that Berejiklian’s actions:
“constituted or involved a breach of public trust by exercising public functions in circumstances where she was in a position of conflict between her public duties and her private interest as a person who was in a personal relationship with the then NSW Member of parliament, Mr. Daryl Maguire.”
“The investigation will probe the following issues according to News.AU:
• [G]rant funding promised and/or awarded to the Australian Clay Target Association Inc in 2016/2017; and grant funding promised and/or awarded to the Riverina Conservatorium of Music in Wagga Wagga in 2018; and/or constituted or involved the partial exercise of any of her official functions, in connection with: grant funding promised and/or awarded to the Australian Clay Target Association Inc in 2016/2017
• [G]rant funding promised and/or awarded to the Riverina Conservatorium of Music in Wagga Wagga in 2018; and/or constituted or involved the dishonest or partial exercise of any of her official functions and/or a breach of public trust by refusing to exercise her duty pursuant to section 11 of the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 1988 to report any matter that she suspected on reasonable grounds concerned or may concern corrupt conduct in relation to the conduct of Mr. Daryl Maguire; and/or was liable to allow or encourage the occurrence of corrupt conduct by Mr. Maguire.”
Glad A Tyrant Is Gone, But Not For The Right Reason
Reactions to Berejiklian’s resignation were mixed as opposed to the near-universal condemnation faced by Cuomo, but there are many who have greeted her step down with relief stemming from the brutal crackdown NSW police have engaged in against COVID vaccine mandate and lockdown protests that saw 235 Melbourne protesters arrested in the neighboring state of Victoria with 32 arrested in NSW’s Sydney where according to Reuters, “riot squad officers, highway patrol, detectives and general duties police were also deployed to the streets, preventing large gatherings.” and “ensuring maximum possible compliance” from Australian citizens
In August, Police arrested 47 people and cited an astounding 260 as 1,500 officers crushed protests in Syndey, with authorities calling it a “civilized” police response. Former-Premier Berejiklian has maintained the authoritarian restrictions under the boots of NSW police until the state reaches 70% compliance with mandatory mRNA treatments or “vaccinations” threatening that only once this level is reached they can citizens look forward to “a lovely Syndey summer”.
According to a statement from NSW Police, “Police have arrested 47 people and issued more than 260 Penalty Infringement Notices in a swift and coordinated response to disrupt protest activity in the Sydney CBD and across regional NSW. Earlier today (Saturday 21 August 2021), a high-visibility policing operation was launched across Sydney and regional NSW, to prevent, disrupt and respond to any planned mass gathering or protest activity. More than 1500 police, including general duties officers from across the Central Metropolitan Region, assisted by specialist police from the Public Order and Riot Squad (PORS), Operations Support Group (OSG), Police Transport Command, Traffic and Highway Patrol Command and the Dog and Mounted Unit, were involved in the operation. Additionally, police issued a prohibition notice to taxi, rideshare and passenger services from conveying passengers to the Sydney CBD, to restrict the movement of potential protesters. During the state-wide operation, 47 people were arrested and are currently in the process of being charged.”
