Bob Carr has announced his resignation, ending 10 years as NSW Premier,
and a 17-year parliamentary career. In a press conference in Sydney at
11am today, Carr signalled his
resignation as Premier and member for Maroubra, effective next
Wednesday, saying he came to the decision
last weekend “over a bottle of Chardonnay.”

Carr refused to “baptise a successor,” saying he would leave that job to
his parliamentary colleagues – though The Daily Telegraph touted
Police Minister Carl Scully as a likely replacement when it broke the story this morning.

Ruling out a move to a federal politics, Carr said he had “no
job offers,” although he was “very keen” to continue helping the Labor Party in
some capacity. Flanked by his wife Helena and State Treasurer Andrew Refshauge, Carr
thanked his chief of staff Graeme Wedderburn, adviser Amanda Lampe,
and the Australian people for the “greatest honour and privilege
imaginable.”

Running through the hallmarks of his time as Premier, Carr listed the
Olympics, his handling of police corruption, and the first
parliamentary apology to the stolen generation as evidence of the”sheer scale and power” of his government, “a gift to
generations.” He characterised his time as premier as a “solid chapter in Australian
history,” saying he hoped his achievements in education and the environment would be maintained by his successor.

Illustration by Mic Looby.