Labor politics in NSW have degenerated into what can only be described as “Bonfire of the Vanities” by the Harbour. Two more pillars of the dominant right-wing faction went up in smoke today.
Police Minister Matt Brown has resigned less than three days after the new Cabinet’s stroll through the immaculate gardens of Government House to be sworn in by Lieutenant Governor Jim Spigelman. His Illawarra colleague, Noreen Hay, MP for scandal-ridden Wollongong, won’t hold her position as parliamentary secretary to the new Health Minister John Della Bosca and there must be a question mark over her job as convener of the Parliamentary Women’s Unity Network.
Their spectacular fall from grace is in keeping with the colourful standards of behaviour voters have come to expect from the NSW Government.
In a wild celebration of Treasurer Michael Costa’s June Budget (it turned out to be his last) ALP revellers repaired to Brown’s office where he proceeded to strip to his underpants and perform some unusual dirty dancing techniques with Hay.
They involved the then Tourism and Housing Minister “mounting the chest” of Ms Hay and shouting to her adult daughter: “Look at this, I’m t-ttie-f-cking your mother.”
Apparently there was no chair sniffing during the evening, but the report of the incident by Imre Salusinszky in today’s Australian was enough to force Brown’s resignation. (Until recently Salusinszky was touting Brown as a possible successor to Iemma. Nice work, Imre.)
The cops have lost a man after their own hearts and will now have to put up with the sterner qualities of Lands Minister Tony Kelly, who has been given the job.
Rees is discovering that the legacy of former premiers Bob Carr and Iemma and ALP general secretary Mark (now senator) Arbib is an Augean stable desperately overdue for a cleanout.
In his 1999 inaugural speech as the MP for Kiama, Brown singled out three Labor personalities for special praise — Arbib, Joe Tripodi and Reba Meagher.
“I wish to thank Mark for being a mate and for his interest in my political career to date. I look forward to working with him in the future,” he told parliament.
Once in government, the former corporate lawyer opened his shoulders and began to make friends and acquire wealth. His pecuniary interests register notes that he is the proud owner of 14 residences, which is double the number owned by Republican presidential candidate John McCain, and he raised an impressive war chest of $209,547 in donations for the 2007 state election.
Hay’s career hasn’t been as meteoric but just as fascinating. On arrival in Macquarie Street she deserted her comrades in the left faction to become a right-winger and then quickly became a formidable fund-raiser.
Greens MP Lee Rhiannon, who has tracked Labor’s donations scandal meticulously, reports that Hay raised $268,465 before the 2003 and 2007 state elections and in the 14 months up to June 2008 raised another $93,080 which was $20,000 more than Cabinet ministers managed to collar.
In April it was reported that she had failed to declare $110,000 worth of donations to Election Funding Authority as required by NSW laws but she blamed the party machine in Sussex Street for an apparent mix up.
“While Nathan Rees is the new broom it seems no matter how hard he tries, he will be unable to sweep his government clean,” Rhiannon said this morning.
Tom – I noticed the reference too and how Rees totally brushed it aside!! Spectacular stuff if Frank has to claim whistleblower protection? Will he give evidence as well to the current ICAC Inquiry into Protection of Public Sector Whistleblowers? Does this mean he’s now black-listed by ALP, unions and the NSW Legislative Assembley – you know the same treatment they dished out to Gillian Sneddon. All I can say is GO FOR IT FRANK!!! Spiteful, retaliatory and desperate to get back into Cabinet his bottom draw is no doubt being humped from one Sydney newsroom to another. Is this lot a bikie gang, the mafia or just some leftovers from the western Sydney street riots?
I voted for NSW Labor last election and wouldn’t take it back . Imagine if Debnam/David Clark was in control of the state today? Scary thought.
Ta Chris, not brushed aside though. Big Nathan (who I can’t resist referring to as Thane of Cawdor) made it clear in glowering reality tv style last night and in the press today to any in caucus harbouring wicked sabotage thoughts to “go your hardest”. This guy is tough. Has the sword smoked it’s last? No one knows, and it’s the seven second silence in theatre as Rumpole would say.
Sure this is going to provoke some angry responses, but the Liberals can’t pretend that they’re not 50% responsible for the extraordinarily dodgy state of affairs in NSW. The voters of NSW would have installed a Liberal government in a shot if they’d had any expectation that anything would have improved. But the state of the NSW Libs (and particularly the right wing) meant that the inevitable happened last election. Political culture in NSW is to blame, and the Libs have to take their share of the responsibility for this.
Steve Price on 2UE asked Premier Nathan Rees just after 9 am this morning: Did you know that Frank Sartor was seen in Imre Salusinzky’s office yesterday? Premier said no he didn’t.
Great question that.