Gladys Berejiklian resigns as NSW premier over ICAC inquiry: Grief from Liberal ...

Devastated supporters have continued to leave flowers and messages at Gladys Berejiklian's electoral office after the popular NSW Premier delivered her shock resignation.

Signs reading 'save Gladys' and 'long live Gladys' appeared on Saturday, taped to the windows of her Willoughby office, as constituents arrived in droves to show support for the fallen premier. 

Bouquets of flowers and handwritten cards rest in front of the office in Sydney's Northbridge along with a sign saying: 'In a world of grey sludge you are a diamond'.

Heartbroken supporters began to drop off gifts for their local member after she resigned as premier while an investigation is launched by the NSW corruption watchdog. 

Just hours after her announcement on Friday constituents were snapped tying balloons in the shape of her initials to the gates of her north Sydney home.

Others left bouquets of flowers by her doorstep.  

One supporter standing outside the outgoing premier's Willoughby electorate office on Friday told Sky News: 'I'm devastated to be honest. It makes me want to cry. She's led us through a really difficult time. 

'We're in a global pandemic and she's led us with strength and integrity and I'm devastated that's she gone.'

The supporter said it was unfair that Ms Berejiklian resigned over an investigation into her relationship with disgraced MP Daryl Maguire while male MPs in the Federal Government were kept on after various scandals. 

'I'm angry about the double standards that we have in our government that we have males that have affairs and have babies with their assistants and be accused of sexual assault and rape and still be in government yet a leader of integrity and strength like Gladys is forced out,' she said in reference to Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce and former attorney-general Christian Porter. 

Mr Porter stepped down as a minister earlier this month after denying historic rape allegations.

In a tearful press conference on Friday Ms Berejiklian said she will also step down as Willoughby MP and leave politics for good as soon as a byelection can take place after Sydney's Covid lockdown.

'I've had to make a difficult decision overnight,' Ms Berejiklian said as she hastily read a prepared statement in front of the cameras before refusing to take questions.

'It pains me to announce that I have no option but to resign from the Office of Premier'.

The NSW Liberals will now elect a new leader, with frontrunner Treasurer Dominic Perrottet saying he will talk to his family and colleagues over the weekend before deciding whether to put his hand up.

Planning Minister Rob Stokes - who has always wanted the top job - has declared he will run and Tourism Minister Stuart Ayres is also being talked about.

'I am extremely confident that whoever succeeds me will be more than capable to continue this job. Please give them your trust and confidence,' Ms Berejiklian said. 

The watchdog known as ICAC is investigating whether Ms Berejiklian encouraged or allowed corrupt conduct by her secret ex-boyfriend and former Wagga Wagga MP Mr Maguire between 2012 and 2018. 

It will also probe whether she breached public trust by not reporting any suspicion of corrupt conduct and what role she had to play in two government grants handed out in Mr Maguire's electorate. 

An ICAC public inquiry on the matter will be held for about 10 days from October 18, overseen by Assistant Commissioner Ruth McColl SC. 

Mr Maguire is accused of abusing his public office after admitting being involved in a cash-for-visa scheme and seeking secret commissions for brokering property deals. He was forced to resign in 2018. 

Ms Berejiklian - who appeared to have been crying - denied any wrongdoing and slammed the watchdog for announcing its investigation into her as the state emerges from a four-month Covid lockdown.

'Given the Covid restrictions, my resignation as premier could not occur at a worse time, but the timing is completely outside of my control as the ICAC has chosen to take this action during the most challenging weeks of the most challenging times in the state's history.

'Resigning at this time is against every instinct in my being and something which I do not want to do,' she said. 

Former ICAC lawyer Geoffrey Watson SC said the premier was wrong to criticise the timing of the watchdog's investigation because it is meant to be totally separate from politics.

'I don't agree with the Premier one bit about those things that she said. They're entirely wrong,' he told the ABC.

'The most obvious level which is when would ICAC take into account political considerations like that? It's independent. That's the key to it. Not only that, do we relax the standards applicable to public sector officials just because of the pandemic? I certainly hope not.' 

Ms Berejiklian, who became premier in 2017, made history in March 2019 as the first conservative female premier to win a state election in Australia and is the Liberal Party's second-longest serving NSW premier since Robert Askin's decade in power from 1965 to 1975. 

Prime Minister Scott Morrison described her as a 'dear friend' and said: 'She has displayed heroic qualities, heroic qualities as the premier of NSW.' 

Ms Berejiklian becomes the third Liberal premier brought down by ICAC after Nick Greiner in 1992 and Barry O'Farrell in 2014. 

The premier, who was flanked by her key supporters Brad Hazzard, Matt Kean and Victor Dominello during the 10-minute presser, said she had no choice but to resign.

'I have made it clear on numerous occasions that if any of my ministers were the subject of allegations being investigated by an integrity agency or law enforcement, then he or she should stand aside during the course of the investigation until their name was cleared,' she said.

'That same standard must always apply to me also as the premier however standing aside is not an option for me as the premier of New South Wales. The people of this state need certainty as to who the leader is during the challenging times of the pandemic.' 

Because she has resigned a few months shy of completing her fifth year in office, Ms Berejiklian does not qualify for lifetime perks including a car, a driver, an office and staff.

Ms Berejiklian - who has enjoyed record popularity during the Covid-19 pandemic - thanked residents for supporting her.

'I hope you know that you will remain foremost in my thoughts, the courage that you display in your lives every day has inspired me every step of the way, the courage and the support you've shown me has humbled me and made me a better leader and a better person.

'Serving you has been the greatest privilege of my life. Please know that every day I gave it my all and worked as hard as I could to create a better future for our state and its people. 

'I truly believe that New South Wales is a place where every person, irrespective of their background and circumstances has the opportunity to be their best to make a difference.'

Ms Berejiklian also delivered a message of hope for the future in her final address to the state. 

'So as I address you for the final time as your premier. Please stay the course and stay safe. We will be shortly out of this lockdown and be able to get on with our lives,' she said. 

'New South Wales and its people will come out of this lockdown stronger, and together we will build a future full of optimism and hope. Finally, thank you again for giving me the honour of being your premier.'

Deputy Premier and Nationals leader John Barilaro said he would stay in government with whoever leads the Liberals. 

'Everyone has the right to defend their name and I wish Gladys all the best for her future.

'Any speculation regarding Liberal Party leadership remains an issue for the Liberal Party.

'The NSW Nationals remain committed to a strong and stable NSW Coalition Government,' he said.

Mr Perrottet said Ms Berejiklian has shown 'an unstinting dedication to public service and a great love for her community.

'The interests of the people of NSW must always come first, and the priority for the Government is to ensure we continue to keep people safe, and that we re-open the economy and get people back to work, kids back to school, and life back to normal as fast as possible,' he said.

'Over the coming days I will be talking to my family and colleagues about how I can best serve the people of NSW to continue to achieve these aims.' 

Ms Berejiklian revealed to an ICAC hearing in October 2020 that she had been in a secret 'close personal relationship' with Mr Maguire for five years. 

She revealed she had a 'personal attachment' to Mr Maguire after working together for more than 15 years and said their relationship began in 2015. 

'I would like to state at the outset Mr Maguire was a colleague of 15 years, he was someone that I trusted,' she said.

'That developed into a close personal relationship.' 

An intercepted phone call between Ms Berejiklian and Mr Maguire was played to the commission, revealing their close relationship. 

The private conversation was about Mr Maguire's first trip to China.

Ms Berejiklian could be heard saying former chief-of-staff Sarah Cruickshank had concerns about his travel.

'Alright babe, what do you think?' Mr Maguire said.

Ms Berejiklian replied: 'I just got home, did Sarah ring you from my office?'

Mr Maguire was concerned. 

'No why?' he replied.

'She sent me a text, when she has to ring a member of Parliament she lets me know.'

'They seem to think it's in your electorate. I didn't say anything, It's none of my business, I'm just letting you know.'

Mr Maguire went on to use 'offensive language' to explain why he was going to China.

'I will [interfere]... these bureaucrats don't care... they're shaking hands, they are sucking people's d***s and they are turning up to everything and they do nothing,' he said.

The ICAC is also investigating whether Ms Berejiklian had a conflict of interest in connection with grant funding to the Australian Clay Target Association in 2017 and the Riverina Conservatorium of Music in Wagga Wagga in 2018.

In August it emerged that Ms Berejiklian showed 'interest' in a proposed $5.5million grant for a shooting association clubhouse and conference facility in former partner Daryl Maguire's electorate, documents show.

But the premier insisted she's done nothing wrong.

Documents obtained by NSW Greens MP David Shoebridge show the Australian Clay Target Association sought grant funding for the clubhouse and conference facility in Wagga Wagga.

Its initial business case was knocked back but a revised version was in 2017 reconsidered, according to the documents, after Ms Berejiklian made inquiries on the matter. It was subsequently approved.

Mr Maguire had initially in 2016 written to Ms Berejiklian about the project - at a time when the pair were in a secret relationship. Ms Berejiklian was NSW treasurer at the time.

She thanked him for 'bringing (the) request to the government's attention' and referred him to the then-minister for sport, Stuart Ayres.