Gladys Berejiklian's gun for hire at the Independent Commission Against Corruption finally got the chance to go after the ousted premier's secret former lover.
The bombshell ICAC hearing, in part, is investigating if the NSW leader engaged in conduct 'liable to allow or encourage the occurrence of corrupt conduct' by her then-boyfriend Daryl Maguire.
Earlier the Commission heard evidence that the former Liberal Party MP for Wagga Wagga contemplated marriage and discussed having a baby with Ms Berejiklian.
But Barrister Sophie Callan SC tried to poke holes in the Mr Maguire's evidence with three simple and deeply personal questions.
Sophie Callan (pictured), who is representing Gladys Berejiklian, arrives at the ICAC hearing in Sydney on Thursday
The hotshot silk, known for bringing down Labor ministers Eddie Obeid and Ian Macdonald at a separate ICAC inquiry, put it to Mr Maguire that 'you never met any member of Ms Berejiklian's family?'
'No,' Mr Maguire replied.
'She was not introduced to your family, for instance, as Daryl's girlfriend?'
'No, not officially. I did know them (from political functions),' Mr Maguire replied.
'[You] did not celebrate any form of anniversary date?'
'No,' Mr Maguire replied.
Mr Maguire at the hearing confirmed he 'encouraged' Ms Berejiklian 'to take a close interest' in the two multi-million dollar grants that are at the centre of the corruption investigation, and that 'from time to time' she informed him about what she knew about these applications.
But Ms Berejiklian's legal eagle inferred that Mr Maguire also lobbied other ministers about projects of importance to him, not just Ms Berejiklian.
'My access to ministers was open door,' Mr Maguire said. 'I would have harangued every minister, too right I would.'
He added that he could 'always walk in and see premier Berejiklian,' and that he also did that with former NSW premier Barry O'Farrell but that it was harder with Mike Baird, another former Liberal premier.
Ms Callan asked Mr Maguire if he was using his close personal relationship with Ms Berejiklian to lobby on behalf of
