Former NSW transport minister David Campbell's failure

Former NSW transport minister David Campbell's failure to deliver better public
transport was his "real sin", the state opposition says.
Mr Campbell, 52, tendered his shock resignation on Thursday night, after it was
revealed the father of two was embroiled in a gay sex club scandal and had been
living a secret life for 20 years.
Opposition Leader Barry O'Farrell said the issue was a personal and not political one.
"My view is what unfolded over the past 48 hours was an issue of personal import,"
Mr O'Farrell told reporters in Sydney on Saturday.
"The issue wasn't a matter of politics.
"It's no secret, I would have sacked David Campbell years ago for his failure to
deliver a better public transport and better roads to NSW.
"That's the real sin he committed."
Earlier on Saturday, Premier Kristina Keneally apologised for describing the
situation that led to Mr Campbell's resignation as "unforgivable".
"It is not unforgivable what he did," Ms Keneally said at the Sydney Writers Festival.
"It is unacceptable to lie, but it is equally unacceptable to live in a community
where your sexuality is not accepted.
"That is extraordinarily a difficult circumstance that he was in."
Ms Keneally said on Friday she was shocked, saddened and disappointed by Mr
Campbell's resignation as transport and roads minister, and the way in which his
sexuality had been exposed by the Seven Network.
"This is a secret that he has lived with, in terms of his own sexuality, for over
two decades and it is distressing, it is in fact unforgivable, that he lived with a
secret, that he misrepresented himself to his wife and to his community and his
colleagues," she said.
Former unionist John Robertson was appointed the new minister for transport at a
swearing-in ceremony on Friday.
Ms Keneally is facing fresh allegations that she is a "puppet premier" after it was
reported her preference to appoint Frank Sartor to the role was vetoed by
powerbrokers Joe Tripodi and Eddie Obeid.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported on Saturday that Mr Tripodi and Mr Obeid vetoed
Ms Keneally's first choice, warning her the caucus would "blow up" if she pressed
ahead with Mr Sartor.
Ms Keneally's office has denied the claims.
Mr O'Farrell said the news that Mr Robertson was not the premier's first choice was
not surprising.
"It's been clear for some time that when it comes to making decisions in the Labor
Party it's not the premier, but the faction bosses, the Labor Party headquarters
that call the shots," he said.
When asked if Mr Sartor would have made a good transport minister, Mr O'Farrell
replied, "Who knows? The bunch of them are rotten."
The opposition leader said 207 ministerial appointments had been made within the
Labor government over the last five years.
"The other tragedy involved in these repeated ministerial shuffles is simply the
problems that confront people in businesses each day don't get attended to, as new
ministers try and get up to speed," he said.
Mr O'Farrell said he sympathises with Mr Campbell and his family.
"What unfolded yesterday was personal, related to his personal life. It's a matter
for him and his family and I have great sympathy for what he and his family is going
through," Mr O'Farrell said.
"Scandals like this do no one any good. Scandals like this hurt all sides of politics."