O'Farrell's resignation is a great loss, former NSW Liberal leaders say

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/16/ofarrell-resignation-former-leaders-tributes

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Former New South Wales Liberal leaders and premiers have said the resignation of Barry O’Farrell is a great loss to the state.

In an unexpected turn of events, O’Farrell announced on Wednesday morning he would resign as NSW premier next week.

O’Farrell said a thank you note signed by himself and his wife for a $3,000 bottle of Penfolds Grange from Nick Di Girolamo had been tendered to the Independent Commission Against Corruption (Icac).

O’Farrell had denied receiving the wine in evidence to Icac on Tuesday.

The former Liberal opposition leader Kerry Chikarovski said on ABC News the premier’s resignation was a great loss. “I’m devastated for him personally, I’m also devastated for the state because I actually think Barry was doing a really good job as premier,” she said.

She praised O’Farrell’s reforms in the public service and his infrastructure projects.

Chikarovski said she believed the Liberal party still had a strong chance at the next election, regardless of who replaced O’Farrell: “Whoever that person is will have to take to the election the very good record of this government … I think that in terms of the Liberal party there’s a very good story to sell at the next election, we have people who are more than capable of doing that.”

The former Liberal premier Nick Greiner, who established Icac and was also one of the first high-profile resignations as a result of its inquiries, said O’Farrell had “behaved properly and honourably”. He said he had “no regrets” about setting up Icac.

He said O’Farrell’s resignation was unlikely to affect the outcome of the next election

“It's clearly not a plus for the Liberal party … There are good candidates, the Labor party in NSW is beyond help and in March next year, whoever the premier is will get re-elected,” he said.

The former Labor premier Kristina Keneally told Sydney’s 2UE radio the news was “stunning” and she was saddened by O’Farrell’s resignation.

“On one level I just feel incredibly sorry for the people of New South Wales who ... would have hoped for better representation than it appears that they have received,” she said.

Keneally said she found it “hard to understand how a person might forget” about a gift like the bottle of wine that O’Farrell received.

The prime minister, Tony Abbott, defended O’Farrell in a news conference on Wednesday morning, saying he had taken “the utterly honourable step of resigning as premier”.

O’Farrell was due to appear alongside Abbott at the news conference, but did not attend. He was due to host the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the Opera House in the afternoon, but withdrew from the engagement.

The NSW opposition leader, John Robertson, called for a “new standard of transparency and accountability” following O’Farrell’s resignation.

“Icac has demonstrated today yet again the great work that it does shining a light on corrupt activity. But today is also a very sad day for the people of New South Wales. Because yet again their confidence in politicians in this state has been rocked to the core.”

The Greens MLC John Kaye called called for a change to the lobbying culture, and said it was time for a “new beginning” for politics in the state.