New South wales Premier Morris Iemma was forced into a cabinet reshuffle after John Watkins’s surprise decision yesterday to quit politics. Ms Tebbutt, a former minister in the Carr and Iemma state governments, opted not to take on a cabinet portfolio after she retained her seat in last year’s election.
Successive Labor governments have ignored the union movement’s power inside the party. The example of Simon Crean is no great encouragement to further action. But it is a problem that is not going to go away. Party members in New South Wales are emboldened by the victory they have achieved over the Iemma Government.
Deputy New South Wales Premier and Transport Minister John Watkins is quitting politics, Premier Morris Iemma announced today. Mr Watkins will retire from Parliament, forcing an immediate frontbench reshuffle and a by-election in the north-western Sydney electorate of Ryde.
New South Wales Premier Morris Iemma appears to have outmanoeuvered his political rival by opting for a partial auction of power assets - meaning a firesale will occur despite the Opposition Leader’s blocking tactics. But Mr. O’Farrell said yesterday he had no regrets about making his controversial stand.
The framework for a partial sell-off had already been laid out in the Owen Report, which the Government commissioned when it began work on the sale last year. A similar sell-off had recently gone ahead in Queensland without a hitch. By Wednesday night, the partial sell-off had become the Government’s least worst option.
It cost an estimated $500,000 to recall the New South Wales Parliament to vote on the Iemma Government’s privatisation proposal, but after less than an hour of discussion in the upper house, the debate was suspended. However, the Premier and his Treasurer, Michael Costa, were not prepared to accept defeat.
The New South Wales Premier, Morris Iemma, withdrew the electricity industry privatisation legislation from a special sitting of parliament earlier today, when it became clear it would be defeated by a combination of the Coalition, Independent and minor party MPs, and Labor Party renegades.
New South Wales Treasurer Michael Costa has told Labor MPs that their electorates will be starved of funding unless they support the Iemma Government’s bid to privatise the power industry. Government ministers have also been trying to lure backbenchers who are committed to opposing the sale with suggestions they may be promoted to the cabinet if they fall into line.
On May 8, the NSW Opposition set down five clear criteria for supporting the privatisation. All five have been met. End of story? You’d think so, but there are machiavellians in the Liberal Party who can see angles invisible to the rest of us. They think that the privatisation plans are a Labor plot and are urging Barry O’Farrell to vote against them at tomorrow’s sitting of parliament.
New South Wales Premier Morris Iemma has recalled parliament a month early to vote on his $25 billion electricity sell-off proposal. Mr Iemma may need the support of the Liberal Party opposition to get his legislation through parliament, with some Labor MPs in both houses threatening to cross the floor to defeat the bill.