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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/apr/16/who-will-be-the-next-new-south-wales-premier
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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Who will be the next New South Wales premier? | Who will be the next New South Wales premier? |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Never, ever, lie – especially on camera. | Never, ever, lie – especially on camera. |
| If there’s one lesson to be drawn from Barry | If there’s one lesson to be drawn from Barry |
| O’Farrell’s resignation as NSW premier, it’s that telling porkies is a one-way | O’Farrell’s resignation as NSW premier, it’s that telling porkies is a one-way |
| ticket to political purgatory. | ticket to political purgatory. |
| O’Farrell’s language in the Icac witness box may have been slightly more | |
| circumspect than Tuesday night’s press | |
| conference, but it is a stretch for the prime minister to say on Wednesday morning, "obviously we now know he innocently, | |
| inadvertently misled Icac". | |
| If anything, | If anything, |
| we know nothing other than O’Farrell lied to the people of NSW when he said he | we know nothing other than O’Farrell lied to the people of NSW when he said he |
| had not received the $3,000 bottle of Penfold’s Grange from Australian Water Holdings boss Nick Di Girolamo. O’Farrell has been lauded by some | |
| commentators for doing the "honourable thing" by resigning, and some have said he | |
| probably did forget about the gift – granted, there may have been plenty of O’Farrell’s | probably did forget about the gift – granted, there may have been plenty of O’Farrell’s |
| preferred screw caps delivered to Roseville in the weeks after his thumping | preferred screw caps delivered to Roseville in the weeks after his thumping |
| election victory. But the more honourable | election victory. But the more honourable |
| thing would have been to stick by the fairly simple rule of declaring the gift, | thing would have been to stick by the fairly simple rule of declaring the gift, |
| as set out under Part 6 of the ministerial | as set out under Part 6 of the ministerial |
| code of conduct; gift declarations | code of conduct; gift declarations |
| can be made at any time. I find it difficult to reconcile the idea | can be made at any time. I find it difficult to reconcile the idea |
| that a politician with such experience (not to mention his avowal to clean up NSW) could | that a politician with such experience (not to mention his avowal to clean up NSW) could |
| handwrite a thank you note on letterhead and not declare the gift. | handwrite a thank you note on letterhead and not declare the gift. |
| So, what next for the "Grange | So, what next for the "Grange |
| Corps" state? First, the NSW Coalition | |
| works as its federal counterpart does – the deputy premier’s spot goes to the | works as its federal counterpart does – the deputy premier’s spot goes to the |
| leader of the National Party (Andrew Stoner), so he’s not in contention. The early money for the top job is flowing to | leader of the National Party (Andrew Stoner), so he’s not in contention. The early money for the top job is flowing to |
| moderate Liberal treasurer Mike Baird and transport minister Gladys | |
| Berejiklian. | Berejiklian. |
| Baird has the smarts to be | Baird has the smarts to be |
| a good premier, something O’Farrell knew. | a good premier, something O’Farrell knew. |
| He revealed a petty, personal jealousy for the young, talented and | He revealed a petty, personal jealousy for the young, talented and |
| presentable member for Manly when the treasurer was dumped from the usual "first | presentable member for Manly when the treasurer was dumped from the usual "first |
| among equals" spot to 10th in the cabinet seniority ranks and | among equals" spot to 10th in the cabinet seniority ranks and |
| stripped of much of his legislative oversight (handed to disgraced former | |
| finance minister, Greg Pearce). O’Farrell’s famous quip on election night – "I’m only gonna talk to | finance minister, Greg Pearce). O’Farrell’s famous quip on election night – "I’m only gonna talk to |
| Gladys" – was another of the small but telling signs of O’Farrell’s | |
| political character. | political character. |
| Berejiklian would | Berejiklian would |
| prove a formidable premier. One of the | prove a formidable premier. One of the |
| hardest working and most effective ministers, she would have to overcome the | |
| perception that she was too close an ally of O’Farrell. The other hurdle she faces is history. The Liberal party has never elected a female | perception that she was too close an ally of O’Farrell. The other hurdle she faces is history. The Liberal party has never elected a female |
| premier (Kate Carnell was ACT chief minister). | premier (Kate Carnell was ACT chief minister). |
| Will the NSW party go for a moderate woman 11 months out from a state | Will the NSW party go for a moderate woman 11 months out from a state |
| election? I think Baird is more | election? I think Baird is more |
| palatable to the right wing of the party than Berejiklian, but as talented and | palatable to the right wing of the party than Berejiklian, but as talented and |
| energetic as they are, I have a third candidate in mind. | energetic as they are, I have a third candidate in mind. |
| Mike | Mike |
| Gallacher hasn’t made a misstep as police and emergency services | Gallacher hasn’t made a misstep as police and emergency services |
| minister. The most senior Liberal in the | minister. The most senior Liberal in the |
| NSW legislative council, Gallacher also represents the central coast in cabinet | |
| and is a leading member – some would say acceptable face – of the right | and is a leading member – some would say acceptable face – of the right |
| wing. This is why my political antennae | wing. This is why my political antennae |
| start twitching. Electing a premier from | start twitching. Electing a premier from |
| the central coast would lock up the region for the Liberals next year, and help | |
| Tony Abbott federally. Gallacher is as Liberal party as the central coast | |
| gets: he founded the Young Liberals there back in 1986 and has served as a | gets: he founded the Young Liberals there back in 1986 and has served as a |
| senior office holder in almost every party position available in the | senior office holder in almost every party position available in the |
| region. | region. |
| It would also be invigorating for NSW | It would also be invigorating for NSW |
| to be led by someone outside Sydney for a change. Ah, but he’s in the upper house, you | to be led by someone outside Sydney for a change. Ah, but he’s in the upper house, you |
| say? There’s a sound precedent – Neville | say? There’s a sound precedent – Neville |
| Wran originally led Labor from the red leather benches – and a solution to two | Wran originally led Labor from the red leather benches – and a solution to two |
| problems. The member for Terrigal and | problems. The member for Terrigal and |
| former energy minister Chris Hartcher is in a spot | former energy minister Chris Hartcher is in a spot |
| of bother himself. If Hartcher can | of bother himself. If Hartcher can |
| be "persuaded" to resign before the party room meeting set for next | |
| Tuesday, Gallacher could stand for the leadership with a clear path. An early June by-election leaves only three | Tuesday, Gallacher could stand for the leadership with a clear path. An early June by-election leaves only three |
| sitting weeks in May to get through, allowing Baird to sell the budget in the | sitting weeks in May to get through, allowing Baird to sell the budget in the |
| lower house. | lower house. |
| The former copper is a | The former copper is a |
| long-shot, but he could find himself leading the "bear pit" before the winter | long-shot, but he could find himself leading the "bear pit" before the winter |
| recess. | recess. |