State Labor makeover gives Burgmann a boost

BY EMMA KEMP

Labor’s Mayoral candidate Meredith Burgmann said the changes to the State Cabinet could give the Labor Party “a little bit of a bounce” in Saturday’s City of Sydney election.

“I think people who were normal Labor voters and were just too cranky with us because they didn’t like [Frank] Sartor and [Michael] Costa will now come back to us,” she said.

Dr Burgmann’s campaign has been tainted by her ties with ALP State members Frank Sartor, treasurer Michael Costa and premier Morris Iemma, also victims of the cabinet overhaul and all of whom she says she did not have a very good relationship with.

She dismissed any notions that the reshuffle is an attempt by the Labor Party to reposition itself in voters’ eyes prior to the local government election.

“I think that they are huge changes, but I don’t think that the Labor Government elections had anything to do with it, because I think it’s a bit late to have much of an effect,” Dr Burgmann said.

Frank Sartor’s sudden exit was not a concern for the President of the NSW Local Government Association, Genia McCaffery, who said she was pleased to see Kristina Keneally appointed as the new Minister for Planning.

“The relationship between the planning minister and local government had really broken down over planning changes. We felt that Sartor was very devisive, so we’re pleased that we have a change from him,” Ms McCaffery said.

Dr Burgmann said that placing left-leaning people in key State Government roles is fantastic news for the inner city.

“The fact that a left-wing premier and a left-wing deputy premier means that the views of the people of the inner city will be much closer to what the views of the Labor leadership will be,” she said.

But the mayoral candidate for the Liberal Party Shayne Mallard said the Sydney electorate is wise when it comes to the “hocus-pocus magic” of the ALP.

“Changing the heads of their government ministry doesn’t change the corrupted body and the electorates will wake up to that,” Mr Mallard said.

“They’ve been working very hard to try and make themselves look like they’re not part of the ALP… but the door-knocking that we and they are doing is saying that voters want to give them a good whack at the polling booth this Saturday.”