El Padrino
Kennel Enthusiast
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Dont forget to vote folks
#vote 1 Andersons
#vote 1 Andersons
She should've followed the example Bronwyn Bishop set and just used a government chopper to go check the mailbox.Back due to popular demand this thread has been revived with some hot and juicy content
Be careful who you vote for in the your LGA as a lot of dodgy business including corruption and abuse of power
Case 1
Transport Minister Jo Haylen resigns amid ministerial driver controversy
By Alexander Lewis
Jo Haylen has stepped down from the NSW frontbench over her use of a ministerial driver for private trips, but will remain as the member for Summer Hill.
NSW Transport Minister Jo Haylen has resigned over her use of taxpayer-funded drivers for private trips and admitted to a second Hunter Valley visit.
Ms Haylen confirmed she and her husband were driven to the region last year, but said it was a different situation to a trip to a winery on the Australia Day long weekend.
"It was not the same circumstances as the 25th of January. I was working on that day," Ms Haylen said.
"But I do want to acknowledge that my use of my personal driver was an error of judgement by me, my mistakes are now causing the government damage."
A log book showing journeys in a ministerial car.
The log book showing the 13-hour round-trip on January 25. (Supplied)
On Monday, it was revealed Ms Haylen had also used government drivers to ferry her and her children between her Lake Macquarie holiday house and Sydney for Saturday sport.
The outgoing minister said she dropped off the children on her way to work, according to the premier.
Ms Haylen's children also accompanied her in a ministerial car to a property west of the Blue Mountains for lunch, a visit she insisted was "work related", the premier said.
Ms Haylen did not take any questions, instead delivering an emotional statement after days of pressure for her sacking.
"I did not break the rules, but I acknowledge that that's not the only test here," she said.
"I've let the public down, and I'm very sorry for that."
Minns to change ministerial driver rules
NSW Premier Chris Minns on Monday said he would not sack Ms Haylen and declared the situation a "major error" that gave his government "a bad reputation".
On Tuesday, Mr Minns said he accepted Ms Haylen's resignation and acknowledged she had "paid a high price" for her "error of judgement".
NSW Transport Minister Jo Haylen speaking at a press conference, with NSW Premier Chris Minns standing in the background.
Chris Minns was challenged about Jo Haylen's trips on radio.
He said he has updated the vehicle use policy in the Minister's Office Handbook to ban the use of ministerial drivers for exclusively private purposes.
"While private use of ministerial drivers has been permitted under long-standing rules, community expectations and standards rightly do not match these rules," he said in a statement.
"The best way to fix this is to change the rules, and that is what I have done today."
Opposition Leader Mark Speakman criticised the premier for failing to act and said Ms Haylen had made "the right decision" in stepping down.
"This wasn't Chris Minns taking decisive action," he said.
"This was three days of weak leadership, excuses and political protection before Ms Haylen finally fell on her sword."
Jo Haylen acknowledges wrongdoing
Ms Haylen said she accepted expectations were high for ministers.
"From the very minute I was appointed a minister, I have worked my arse off. You don't clock out from being a minister," she said.
"You work every single minute of the day. Just like you don't clock out from being a mum.
"Combining those roles is difficult but I'm not alone in that challenge."
The scandals Jo Haylen survived before taxpayer driver controversy
Despite surviving numerous political scandals, outgoing transport minister Jo Haylen was brought undone by her own personal use of taxpayer-funded transport.
Read more
Ms Haylen thanked Transport secretary Josh Murray, Mr Minns, her cabinet colleagues and ministerial staff.
Mr Minns had stood by his minister, saying earlier this week she assured him the January 25 trip was a singular lapse of judgement.
But on Nine radio on Tuesday, Mr Minns was caught off guard when host Ben Fordham suggested the transport minister had embarked on another winery visit last year.
"I don't know about the circumstances in which you're presenting them to me," the premier replied.
"I checked whether there were other incidents or examples, as did the media. I take her at her word," he said.
Ms Haylen said she would continue to serve as the state member for Summer Hill.
Ms Haylen thanked her staff and department as well as her family.
"I want to thank my husband and my kids. They're going to see a lot more of me very soon, as will the great people of Summer Hill," she said.
She declined to take questions from journalists.
Ms Haylen said she was proud of her work with public transport in her time as minister.
"People are voting with their feet. Patronage is up. Public transport is the great social equaliser," she said.
"It doesn't matter how much money you make or how where you live, you can get public transport, get to work, do your job and look after your family."
"I've always prided myself on trusting in people and in the good will of people," she said.
"It kills me right now that some people might think otherwise of me."
She said she has "worked her arse off" in her role as transport minister.
"You don't clock out from being a minister. You work every single minute of the day, just like you don't clock out from being a mum. Combining those roles is difficult, but I'm not alone in that challenge," she said.
Ms Haylen said she made the decision to resign because her actions were causing "damage" to the Minns government.
"Politics is difficult, expectations are high, and I know that," she said."
Ms Haylen confirmed she did take an additional trip to the Hunter Valley last year with her husband in a ministerial car.
"I was working on that day but I do want to acknowledge that my use of my personal driver was a mistake by me," she said.
Jo Haylen has told the media she is resigning as Minister for Transport.
"This morning, I have told the premier I am resigning as minister for transport, but I will continue to be the member for Summer Hill," she said.
NSW transport minister Jo Haylen is fronting the media after a tumultuous 24 hours, after it was revealed she used a taxpayer- funded ministerial driver to attend a "long lunch" with friends in the Hunter Valley on the Australia Day long weekend.