By Stephen Mayne

We thought 30 would be about it, but we’ve easily reached that
milestone and the names of ousted top NSW bureaucrats just keep pouring
in. Surely no government in Australian history has churned through as
many chairs, CEOs and departmental secretaries as the 11 years of Labor
administration in our biggest state. Here are today’s 10 new names and
don’t you love the amount of times Michael Costa features:

Jeffrey Allen:sacked without compensation as CEO of Intregral Energy in 1999 but failed in a $1 million unfair dismissal case.

John Cowling: sacked as CEO of the Rail Infrastructure
Corporation with a $355,000 payout when Michael Costa became Minister
for Transport in 2003.

Ken Cripps: departed as Commissioner of the Public Employment
Office in 1996 after allegations in court that he showed inappropriate
videos to two teenagers.

Michael Deegan: sacked as Director General of Transport when Michael Costa became Minister of Transport in 2003.

Jeff Jarratt: sacked as a police deputy commissioner by his boss Peter Ryan in 2001.

Carmel Niland: sacked as Director General of the Department of Community Services (DOCS) in 2002.

Greg Robinson: sacked in 2004 after less than a year as CEO
of Sydney Water after a vote of no confidence by the board, which was
backed by the then Minister responsible, Frank Sartor.

Peter Ryan: departed as NSW Police Commissioner early after Michael Costa became police minister in 2002.


John Stott: removed as CEO of State Transit Authority in 2004 by Michael Costa but simultaneously appointed to chair new smartcard board.

Bill Watson: sacked as chief of Sydney Ferries by Transport Minister Michael Costa after his brother-in-law was awarded a contract.

To check out the 20 other names on our list go here
and keep the suggestions coming to smayne@crikey.com.au. We’ve had
numerous other names submitted but sometimes it is difficult getting
confirmation they were sacked or resigned under pressure and we’re only
running what can be proven.