ICAC to retrieve former Wagga MP Daryl Maguire's 'concealed' hard drive from Parliament House

Office of the Government Whip employee Rebecca Cartwright admitted to allegations at today's hearing that she "concealed" the hard drive from the inquiry and had kept it in her office for the past two years.

Ms Cartwright detailed how she was sent a hard drive from Parliament House's IT department.

"[Mr Maguire] said to me there was a hard drive coming from IT...I asked it how he wanted it to send it to me," she said.

Ms Cartwright said it "belonged to Daryl or it came from his computer" and Mr Maguire told her to send it to him but it would get "lost in the post".

Ms Cartwright said she kept the hard drive and she still had it in the Government Whip's office.

ICAC Assistant Commissioner Ruth McColl directed Ms Cartwright to produce the hard drive.

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Ms Cartwright agreed with AC McColl's suggestion that Mr Maguire "wanted it to disappear".

Counsel assisting ICAC Scott Robertson asked her why she had not told ICAC previously about the hard drive and whether she "assisted him in concealing it" and "kept away from this commission material that may incriminate him".

She said she "just kept it" and then said "I agree".

The hearing has been adjourned to allow ICAC staff to retrieve the hard drive.

About 45 minutes after ICAC adjourned, NSW Parliament began question time in the lower house and Labor opposition leader Jodi McKay asked Premier Gladys Berejiklian about the hard drive.

"Premier, a short time ago it was revealed in the Independent Commission Against Corruption that evidence has been hidden in your Liberal Party Whip's office for up to two years," Ms McKay said.

"Will you act today and give the House a full explanation of your Government Whip's involvement in this matter?"

Ms Berejiklian replied that "as is appropriate, the ICAC is conducting an investigation. Let's allow the ICAC to do its work".

Ms McKay then asked "can you give an assurance that no other evidence is being hidden by any member of your government".

"As I said, there is an ongoing ICAC investigation and we should allow that body to do the work that it is designed to do".

The ICAC hearing resumed at about 2.45pm and counsel assisting ICAC Scott Robertson said "the hard drive has been secured".

Mr Robertson said the hard drive might be "subject of parliamentary privilege".

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