NSW opposition says former Liberal party MP shouldn’t be allowed to remain on the crossbench as ‘a lame duck wrongdoer’

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

The New South Wales opposition has called on a state MP to resign from politics immediately after secret phone recordings of him discussing potential developer “dividends” were played at a Sydney corruption inquiry.

Daryl Maguire stood down from the Liberal party on Friday night after fronting an Independent Commission Against Corruption inquiry but will remain in state parliament as an independent.

The recorded conversations, played at the Icac hearing, were of Maguire trying to strike a deal in 2016 with then-Canterbury City councillor Michael Hawatt.

The Wagga Wagga MP later issued a short apology on his Facebook page for breaching the “strict code of conduct” and causing “distress and embarrassment” to the party.

The acting NSW opposition leader, Michael Daley, said while the premier, Gladys Berejiklian – who is on leave – has “no power to compel anyone to go”, Maguire should not be allowed to remain on the crossbench as “a lame duck wrongdoer” until the state election in March.

He said parliament has the power “to exclude” a member but that would be “a pretty drastic and ugly thing to do” when it resumes next month.

“The cleanest, most just and easiest thing to do now would be for the premier to say ‘Daryl, on ya bike’ and he should go,” Daley said.

Maguire has quit his role as parliamentary secretary for counter-terrorism, corrections, veterans and the Centenary of Anzac.

He told the Icac inquiry he’d never done any business with Hawatt and didn’t remember much from their “occasional” meetings.

But the inquiry soon heard him telling Hawatt he had a client with “mega money” who would be interested in a Canterbury site approved for 300 units.

He asked the councillor what “margin” he would get from the “quick sale” – worth up to $51m.

Maguire denied he was an agent for the Chinese developer – Country Garden – but conceded he had “certainly sought to assist” them in purchasing sites in Australia and was “great friends” with the company’s Australian chief executive.

In another recording, Maguire said he had asked the local government minister’s office to put forward Hawatt on the new Canterbury-Bankstown advisory council.

The corruption watchdog is investigating claims of improper conduct at the now-defunct Canterbury City council – particularly the actions of two councillors, Hawatt and Pierre Azzi.

On Friday night, the acting NSW premier, John Barilaro, said Maguire was “paying the price” for his wrongdoing.