Gladys Berejiklian and barrister boyfriend on morning stroll as ICAC prepares to hand down report
Gladys Berejiklian has been spotted on a relaxing coffee date with her lawyer boyfriend Arthur Moses ahead of a corruption watchdog report on her behavior as NSW Prime Minister.
Ms Berjeklian showed no signs of stress before The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) released its findings on Thursday. Ms. Berjeklian put on sportswear while the beloved couple held hands during a walk.
Mr Moses has also had a burden on his shoulders as he was part of war veteran Ben Roberts-Smith’s legal team, which lost the ‘trial of the century’ this month.
But her date with destiny seemed far from Ms Berejiklian’s mind as she was pictured touching up her make-up at a café table in Sydney on Saturday.
Former NSW Prime Minister Gladys Berejiklian (pictured right) and her lawyer boyfriend Arthur Moses (left) are pictured holding hands during an early morning walk in activewear
The couple wore matching dark caps and designer sunglasses. Mr. Moses is pictured on the left and Mrs. Berejiklian is pictured on the right
Her date with the ICAC lot seemed far from Ms Berejiklian’s mind as she was pictured touching up her makeup at a cafe table
The couple wore matching dark caps and designer sunglasses, with Mr. Moses wearing a black jacket while Mrs. Berejiklian’s was white.
As the temperature rose, Ms. Berejiklian took off the jacket to reveal a stylish wine colored top underneath.
The couple also both wore activewear trousers – gray for Mr Moses and black for the former prime minister – and both wore sneakers, blue for him and black for her.
At one point, while sitting in a café on Sydney’s leafy north coast, Mr. Moses reached over the couple’s food while Ms. Berejiklian checked her phone.
The investigation into Ms Berejiklian’s dealings began after ICAC launched an investigation into disgraced former Liberal MP for Wagga Wagga, Daryl Maguire.
The watchdog investigated whether Mr Maguire used his role as an MP to gain financial advantage and whether Ms Berejiklian had betrayed public trust during their five-year secret personal relationship.
The long-delayed final report will be presented to the NSW Parliament on Thursday, almost two years after Ms Berejiklian stepped down as Prime Minister.
The Operation Keppel report will be delivered to the Speakers of Parliament at 9am and will be available to the public when officials make it public.
The commission revealed in January that the report would not be released before the March election because it covered complex legal issues and thousands of pages of evidence, transcripts and submissions.
“The committee remains aware of its obligation to file the report as soon as possible after it has ended its involvement in the case, and continues to expect the report to be ready for submission during the course of this quarter,” it said. a spokeswoman at the time.
Sitting in a cafe on Sydney’s leafy north coast, Mr Moses at one point reached over the couple’s food while Ms Berejiklian checked her phone
Mr Moses (right, with Gladys Berjiklian) also has a burden on his shoulders, having been part of the legal team of war veteran Ben Roberts-Smith, who lost the ‘trial of the century’ this month
Ms. Berejiklian (pictured) stylishly dressed in sportswear, designer sunglasses and a Nike cap
The report will be delivered nearly 21 months after Ms Berejiklian stepped down as prime minister in October 2021, and nearly three years after she first gave evidence about her secret romance with Mr Maguire.
The investigation hinges on whether Ms Berejiklian’s concealment of her relationship with Mr Maguire has betrayed public trust, whether she improperly handled the projects pursued by Mr Maguire and whether she engaged in conduct that by him ‘may permit or encourage corruption’.
Ms Berejiklian has denied any wrongdoing, citing concerns over probable long delays in delivering her report by ICAC as the reason for her resignation.
A book published last August claimed that Ms Berejiklian “held a torch” for Ms Moses for years before they got together.
“Gladys has always been kind to Arthur,” said a senior Liberal.
In her book The Secret, about the rise and spectacular fall of the former NSW prime minister, journalist Alexandra Smith said some former staffers described working for Ms Berejiklian as working for the Queen.
“Berejiklian would walk past them to her office; they wouldn’t dare talk to her,” Smith wrote.
Gladys Berejiklian (right) and Arthur Moses both wore sneakers – blue for him and black for her
Former NSW Prime Minister Gladys Berejiklian (right) is pictured with her partner, barrister Arthur Moses
The couple in love is pictured strolling hand in hand across a bridge on Sydney’s north shore