THIS year has had more drama and plot turns than the scriptwriters of any soap opera would imagine to be plausible.
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On Monday there was a new bombshell at a NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption hearing.
The disclosure raises a raft of questions about what Ms Berejiklian knew about the behaviour of Mr Maguire who is accused of using his role as an MP for personal gain from 2012 to 2018.
It also exposes Ms Berejiklian's judgement in not putting the liaison on the record.
She told the ICAC that she "didn't feel the relationship had sufficient substance for it to be made public".
This treats voters as mugs.
Ms Berejiklian said after Monday's hearing she had trusted Mr Maguire and now felt really let down.
Well the electorate is entitled to feel the same way about the Premier.
IN OTHER NEWS:
Those living in the electorate of Wagga deserved to know Ms Berejiklian had intimate ties with Mr Maguire when he resigned in disgrace in 2018 and she then campaigned for the Liberal candidate Julia Ham.
The wider NSW public also should have been aware of such a connection when a state election was held last year.
The ICAC has been probing Mr Maguire's dealings since 2018 and Ms Berejiklian would be naive to think her personal link would not emerge at some point.
Keeping it hidden is understandable, on the basis of personal and political fallout, but that fails the public interest test.
Many will share the feelings of NSW Labor leader Jodi McKay who said Ms Berejiklian had been "unmasked" as a "fraud".
Citizens should know if their Premier has a personal attachment to a politician under a corruption cloud.
How long will Ms Berejiklian survive?
That's the big question hanging over the Sydneysider who has become well-known in Albury-Wodonga for closing the border.
