New NSW Premier Morris Iemma faces his first big political test on the weekend with by-elections in the seats of Macquarie Fields, Maroubra and Marrickville.

All three are safe Labor seats and the Liberal Party is only contesting Macquarie Fields. Their recent leadership dramas are making Macquarie Fields – the scene of street clashes between residents and police earlier this year – as much a test for the Libs as for Iemma.

But the real focus is on Marrickville, where the Greens are hoping to build on their strong past poll performances to block Education Minister Carmel Tebbutt’s move to the lower house.

Antony Green’s take on the competitions is now up on the ABC’s election site.

A bruising anti-Tebbutt campaign in being run on the streets of Marrickville, and yesterday it spilled over into Question Time in Macquarie Street. To comply with electoral law, Tebbutt has had to resign from Parliament to fight Green Sam Byrne for Marrickville – but in an unusual move is staying on as Education Minister. Labor heavies have indicated that if Tebbutt comes off second best she will be appointed to fill the casual vacancy created by her resignation. Hence this amusing hardball from the Greens:

Ms LEE RHIANNON: I direct my question to Minister for Justice, representing the Minister for Education. Will the Minister outline the discipline regimes for students at New South Wales public schools who are caught truanting? Does the Government consider that Minister Tebbutt is setting a good example for our young people by truanting from New South Wales Parliament while campaigning for the Marrickville by-election and putting accountability at the back of the class? Will the Government explain to the people of New South Wales how the Education portfolio has not and will not be neglected during this by-election?

The Hon. JOHN DELLA BOSCA: I will abandon my normal custom and not thank the member for that orderly, cheap question. She should research her questions properly. I announced only an hour or so ago that I, not the Minister for Justice, will represent the Minister for Education. I will take that question on notice and, as usual, will receive a very fine answer from the Minister.

Meanwhile, stand by for questions over Tebbutt’s pension entitlements. The NSW Parliament did not follow the example set by Canberra last year and reform its superannuation scheme.

Tebbutt resigned from the Legislative Council effective from 26 August. This means that she should start her pension afresh when she returns to the parliament, be it in the lower house or the Council.

Talk suggests, however, that her entitlements will continue uninterrupted – a decision that insiders say could be worth several hundred thousand dollars.