NSW’s new premier, Morris Iemma, has been given a minder to make sure he sticks to the script written at the Sussex
Street head office – Peter
Barron, former spinner for NSW and federal ALP pols, including Nev Wran and Bob
Hawke. Barron has also worked for Kerry Packer and PBL.

He’s a
right wing foot soldier, lobbyist of some considerable force, and
not very happy with the media, especially the mob from Fairfax or the
ABC. In fact,
he’s from the “tell ’em nothing” side of the NSW right wing of the ALP, the
branch that delivered us Graham Richardson and Stephen Loosely (Asbestos Steve)
as state secretaries in NSW and Senators and parliamentary
pensioners.

Barron
was spotted in Phillip
Street in Sydney, chatting
on a mobile while the media was waiting in Farrer Place for the press conference that
Morrie cut short late Monday afternoon.

The
reappearance of Barron means head office is very much back in control of the NSW government.