NSW joins Malaysia in allowing politicians implicated in corruption investigations to continue exercising their extensive powers, including emergency -Premier Gladys Berejiklian issues daily orders despite being named in ex-boyfriend's corruption investigation

by Ganesh Sahathevann

 Gladys Berejiklian is the premier of the State of New South Wales, Australia.

She has been named in the corruption investigation of a former boyfriend,  Daryl Maguire, who was a minister in her government. Meanwhile she continues to wield emergency type powers pursuant to NSW's public health laws. 

Her politically driven decisions, disguised as orders made under medical advice, have become increasingly bizarre. 

The situation in NSW is not very different from that in Malaysia where the country was kept under emergency rule, ostensibly to address  COVID contagion, but which most Malaysians understood was a ploy on then prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin's part to keep himself in power. 

Meanwhile, Ms Berejiklian continues to use her emergency type powers to threaten, and distract for the corruption investigation that engulfs her. She appeared at a press conference this morning, after declaring just yesterday that she will no longer call daily press conferences because she needs to concentrate fully the next two.

Her urgently called press conference was called to issue this threat. Readers in Asia will see similarities between this threat and the constant sceptre of ISA detention. 

Gladys' brutal news for unvaxxed residents

Ally Foster

Premier Gladys Berejiklian has said those who haven't received the jab may not enjoy extra freedoms even when the state hits 80 per cent double vaccination.

In NSW, 46.2 per cent of the population has received two vaccine doses, with restrictions to ease significantly for vaccinated residents at 70 per cent.

However, Ms Berejiklian said unvaccinated people could still be living with tough restrictions even when 80 per cent double vaccination milestone is reached.

"Don't assume that at 80 per cent double-dose vaccination that unvaccinated people are are going to have all those freedoms. I want to make that point very clear," she said.

"The government is yet to finalise its plans in relation to what happens at 80% double dose. Our key message is – come forward and get vaccinated because once we start opening up at 70 per cent double-dose vaccination, the higher the rate of adult coverage, of people 16 and over, that are vaccinated, the better it is for all of us."

Ms Berejiklian said it was everyone's choice whether to get vaccinated, but warned those who choose not to get the jab "not to expect to do everything that vaccinated people do even when we hit 80 per cent".

"I don't want people to think they can sit back, let everybody else do the hard work and then turn up when it's 80 per cent and get everything else that vaccinated people are. That's not the right message," she said.

"I want to say it clearly – that if you're not vaccinated, you will not have the freedom or the freedoms that vaccinated people have even when we get to 80 per cent double dose."

Ms Berejiklian said private businesses could also make the decision not to open to unvaccinated Australians.