NSW: Sartor, Macdonald back, but no sign of Della or Rees

AAP General News (Australia)
12-08-2009
NSW: Sartor, Macdonald back, but no sign of Della or Rees

By Nick Ralston and Patrick Caruana

SYDNEY, Dec 8 AAP - Frank Sartor and Ian Macdonald are back in the NSW ministry with
Premier Kristina Keneally announcing her new cabinet, which doesn't include a spot for
her predecessor Nathan Rees.

The pair, dumped by Mr Rees when was leader, are among the big winners in Ms Keneally's
front bench, along with former lands minister Tony Kelly.

Former Unions NSW boss John Robertson is the big loser in the shake-up - being stripped
of his key portfolios of environment and corrective services.

Mr Sartor takes on environment and climate change as well as minister assisting the
health minister (cancer), a role he has performed before.

Mr Macdonald takes up his old portfolios of state and regional development as well
as minerals and forest resources.

However, another to fall during Mr Rees' 15 months as premier, John Della Bosca, stays
on the backbench.

After having been effectively tagged a puppet of Right faction powerbrokers Joe Tripodi
and Eddie Obeid by Mr Rees, Ms Keneally was insistent she had chosen her cabinet.

"This is the team that I have selected," she told reporters after her new cabinet was
sworn in by NSW Governor Marie Bashir at Government House on Tuesday.

She also rejected claims her front bench was selected to repay those who backed her
push to roll Mr Rees in a leadership spill last Thursday.

Another dissenter against Mr Rees, Mr Kelly, was handed the important planning and
infrastructure portfolio, previously held by Ms Keneally.

Less than two months ago, Mr Kelly was demoted in cabinet by Mr Rees for plotting against
his leadership.

Upon becoming premier, Ms Keneally said she would offer Mr Rees a position on her front bench.

However, asked if she had done so and what he had been offered, Ms Keneally would only
say she had spoken with Mr Rees over the past few days and would not rule out his future
return to cabinet.

She then appeared to contradict herself by insisting this would be the team she takes
to the 2011 election.

"At the moment, this is the team ... not at the moment, in fact, at the moment Nathan
is working with us, he has indicated his clear support for me and the team that I am leading,"

she said.

"I'm going to work with Nathan. I'm going to work with all my team over the coming months.

Mr Robertson will now oversee the relatively minor portfolios of industrial relations
and commerce.

It's believed Mr Robertson was stripped of the environment portfolio because he was
too close to green groups following a major announcement on solar energy tariffs.

Ms Keneally insisted Mr Robertson had a "key role" in her government and would be tasked
with preparing Working Together, an agreement with Unions NSW to "build the state's economy"

and "increase employment".

Aside from Mr Kelly, other ministers to be promoted are Water Minister Phil Costa,
who adds corrective services to his responsibilities and Emergency Services Minister Steve
Whan who takes on primary industries.

After being made mineral resources minister just weeks ago, Peter Primrose stays in
cabinet but is now in charge of small business as well a number of portfolios taken from
Graham West, who holds on to juvenile justice.

Community Services Minister Linda Burney would take on the new position of minister
in charge of a state plan to "drive improved performance and accountability" in delivering
services, Ms Keneally said.

Ms Keneally also announced the appointment of Brendan O'Reilly as Director-General
of the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet, replacing John Lee who served in that position
for 14 months.

Mr O'Reilly has previously served as director-general of the Department of Ageing,
Disability and Home Care.

The new cabinet will meet for the first time on Wednesday, with a full caucus of NSW
Labor MPs set down for December 17.

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