Thread: Morris Iemma sacked as premier

Morris Iemma 'sacked as NSW Premier'


NSW Premier Morris Iemma has reportedly been dumped from the state's top political job by his own caucus.

Iemma's sacking is being driven by MPs angry over his handling of the privatisation of state electricity and his loyalty to NSW Treasurer Michael Costa, according to various media reports.

Nathan Rees, the minister for water and emergency services, who was only elected to Parliament last year, is understood to be Mr Iemma's replacement.

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Rees replaces Iemma as NSW Premier

Just 18 months after entering parliament, Nathan Rees has become premier of NSW after Morris Iemma was rolled by the Labor Party's powerful Right faction.

It is the first time Labor has dumped a premier in its 117-year history.

Mr Rees emerged from a Labor caucus meeting at NSW Parliament confirming he had replaced Morris Iemma.
"As you all know Morris Iemma resigned as premier today, I nominated for the vacancy and I was elected unanimously by the full Labor caucus," he told reporters. "In addition to that, Carmel Tebbutt has the full support of the caucus for the deputy premier position." "We start work today for the people of NSW, we start work this afternoon to deliver services to the people of NSW," he said.

Mr Iemma resigned as premier after failing to win factional support for his crucial cabinet shake-up. At a press conference this afternoon he announced he was quitting NSW politics entirely. Mr Iemma's resignation follows his failure to win support for his plan to push Treasurer Michael Costa off the frontbench and promote Mr Rees, Ms Tebbutt, Kristina Keneally, Linda Burney, and Verity Firth. Mr Iemma had also planned to demote Gaming and Racing Minister Graham West and Health Minister Reba Meagher, and add to the responsibilities of Attorney General John Hatzistergos and Police Minister David Campbell. Michael Costa earlier had indicated he would challenge Mr Iemma's decision to dump him from the cabinet, prompting a showdown.

Mr Costa used his press conference to detail his concerns over the state's ability to retain its AAA credit rating, saying state revenues were being undermined by the slowing Australian economy. He said NSW was facing a dramatic drop in revenues from stamp duty, approaching $200 million in the first two months of the 2008/09 financial year, as a result of the economic slowdown. He also said the health budget had blown out by $300 million so far this financial year. "My issue is with the funding of the north-west Metro (rail line) costing $12 billion, which is not sustainable unless we cut spending in other areas - our health and education programs," Mr Costa added.

Meanwhile, the new Premier of NSW Nathan Rees has had a meteoric rise to the top of politics in the state. A former garbage collector, he was first elected a member of state parliament in March last year and was immediately appointed to the frontbench as Water Utilities and Emergency Services Minister. In February this year, he took over the main water portfolio as Water Minister, when Phil Koperberg resigned because of ill health. In July, Mr Rees denied reports he was involved in a leadership coup by the state ALP head office to replace Premier Morris Iemma.
"Premier Iemma has my rock-solid, unequivocal support and he knows that," he said at the time.

Mr Rees has not been in the ministry long enough to have acquired much political baggage, but a small shadow fell over him when the opposition pointed out he was once the chief of staff to disgraced former minister Milton Orkopoulos. Orkopoulos was sentenced in May this year to 14 years jail for child sex and drug offences. Nationals MP Adrian Piccoli said Mr Rees should explain what he knew of Orkopoulos' crimes, which occurred while Mr Rees was in his employ.

Mr Rees said Mr Piccoli was trying to spread "gutless slander" and like Orkopoulos' wife and family, he had known nothing of the MP's secret life.


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whoo hoo, something interesting in Australian politics!

whoa! about freaking time but who ever thought it would really happen?

you know what's funny, though, i look at ninemsn news maybe once or twice a day at work, and today i didn't see anything about this. i saw "Popstars - where are they now?" it's interesting what gets priority...