Rees gets power to pick NSW front bench

NSW Premier Nathan Rees has been given the power to pick his own cabinet and has
indicated that another reshuffle of his front bench is imminent.

In a surprise move in his first address to the NSW ALP state conference as their
leader, Mr Rees pleaded with delegates to bring an end to the practice where the
Right and Left factions choose who serves in the ministry.
Mr Rees only informed the NSW ALP general secretary Matt Thistlethwaite of his
desire to make the change on Saturday morning before making his address.
The practice where the leader picks his front bench has recently been adopted by
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Queensland Premier Anna Bligh.
"I come before you today to seek the same authority," Mr Rees told the conference.
"Not after an election victory, but in order to win one."
Mr Rees said he wanted the power so that Labor leaders "present and future" can
appoint cabinets in which "the people of NSW can have confidence".
In a show of support for Mr Rees, the conference unanimously supported his wishes.
Mr Rees, formerly of the Left but now unaligned, will now have the ability to
promote and remove MPs from the front bench without the necessary approval of the
factions.
Among those likely to be top of the hit list are Lands Minister Tony Kelly and
Primary Resources Minister Ian Macdonald.
Both men were demoted but not dumped from the cabinet when Mr Rees reshuffled his
front bench in September in a bid to punish those who have plotted against his
leadership.
Mr Thistlethwaite said the change was necessary because the NSW public had sent a
clear message to the ALP that it was out of touch by appointing ministers by
arrangements made in back room deals.
"That practice simply does not reflect a modern political party," Mr Thistlethwaite
said.
Acting Prime Minister Julia Gillard also hailed the change.
"Premier Nathan Rees has shown strong and decisive leadership in determining that he
will pick his ministerial team," a spokesperson for Ms Gillard said.
"The Rudd government adopted this system after the 2007 election.
"As the track record of the Rudd government shows, this system enables the leader
and his hand picked team to focus their energies on improving the lives of
Australians today while building a stronger and fairer tomorrow."