The sudden resignation of premier Gladys Berejiklian sent shockwaves through NSW politics (and spawned an avalanche of fake news on right-wing social media): but was it an act of self-sacrifice, or a strategic retreat?
(First off: let’s get the fake news out of the way. No, Berejiklian was not forced to resign after being caught taking a $65m bribe from Pfizer. This is a complete fabrication from windbag mining billionaire Clive Palmer, currently on trial for fraud. Also, despite right-wing media hyperventilating about “the most fascistic regimes in modern history”, Berejiklian has in fact been one of the lightest-handed of Australia’s state premiers. In fact, she’s been routinely criticised by the likes of “Dictator Dan” Andrews in Victoria for dragging her heels on imposing lockdowns. Berejiklian also infuriated the Daily Mail editors by putting a strict end-date of just five weeks on restrictions against the unvaccinated.)
Already, whispers are out that Berejiklian is lining up a tilt at federal parliament.
A federal tilt, including a stint as prime minister, could be on the cards for outgoing premier Gladys Berejiklian if NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance has his way.
Mr Constance, who announced he would resign from his position later in the year to make a run at the federal seat of Gilmore, on Tuesday said having Ms Berejiklian in the federal parliament would be “unreal”.
“Yeah, absolutely. I think if Glad can get cleared up – whatever these issues are, through the public hearing process – I think she’d be unreal,” Mr Constance told ABC Radio National […]
Earlier, Prime Minister Scott Morrison also indicated he would like Ms Berejiklian to consider a run at federal politics.
Speaking with KIIS FM, Mr Morrison said the outgoing premier still had a lot to give.
The Australian
Berejiklian announced her resignation as premier and from state politics, ahead of an ICAC investigation which named her as a person of interest. At issue is Berejiklian’s long-secret relationship with corrupt NSW politician Daryl Maguire and community grants made in Maguire’s old electorate. A whisper campaign over the affair has dogged Berejiklian for most of the past year. The chorus of outrage in response, from her supporters, only deepened suspicions of a cover-up.
Gladys Berejiklian and her closest cabinet colleagues received advice that the NSW Premier was on safe legal ground despite being named as a person of interest by corruption investigators.
The legal advice was provided by Bret Walker SC, the prominent Sydney barrister engaged by Ms Berejiklian, as part of a last-ditch attempt to avoid having to resign […]
His advice appeared to extend to her ability to stay in her role while the ICAC investigations continued. Legally, it appeared, she may not have been required to vacate her position.
The Australian
Rightly or wrongly, then, the issue would have been an ongoing millstone around the premier’s neck. Her shock resignation may well be a circuit-breaker for a federal run: by the time the next election rolls around next year, Berejiklian may well have had her name cleared.
If so, then the millstone will become a pedestal.
It’s not the first time a former NSW premier has moved to federal parliament. The only difference is that, unlike Kristina Keneally, Gladys Berejiklian won’t rely on faceless factional warlords to continually parachute her into safe seats, no matter how often she loses at the ballot box. Keneally’s latest rescue package came when ALP factional heavies engineered her preselection in one of Sydney’s safest Labor seats.
It will be poetic justice if Berejiklian runs directly against Keneally and steals a red-ribbon Labor seat.
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