Gladys Berejiklian (Armenian: Գլեդիս Բերեջիկլյան, romanized: Gledis Berejiklyan;[2] born 22 September 1970)[3] is an Australian businesswoman and former politician who served as the 45th premier of New South Wales and the leader of the New South Wales division of the Liberal Party from 2017 to 2021. Berejiklian currently works as an executive for the telecommunications company Optus.[4]
In October 2021, Berejiklian announced her intention to resign as both premier and member for Willoughby after the start of an Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) investigation to determine whether a "breach of public trust" had occurred, over her failure to disclose the secret relationship with Daryl Maguire when relevant to her ministerial duties, and her failure to report potentially corrupt statements Maguire made to her that were recorded in phone calls during the Maguire ICAC investigation.[8][9][10] Berejiklian stayed on as premier until a replacement was elected at a party room meeting, held on 5 October 2021.[11] Treasurer Dominic Perrottet succeeded Berejiklian as premier of New South Wales.[12]
In 2023 ICAC findings stated that Berejiklian engaged in "serious corrupt conduct" by refusing to report Maguire's corrupt statements to her, but did not recommend criminal charges against her as ICAC evidence is not admissible in criminal court due to the loss of the right to silence within hearings.[13][14]
During her time in office, Berejiklian was a popular Premier.[15][16][17][18][19][20] After her resignation as premier, she was described by The Guardian as "one of the most popular premiers of the modern era".[21]