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NSW Chief Minister Damien Tudehope resigned after declaring that he unknowingly held shares in Transurban, a company that owns most of the toll roads in the state.
The New South Wales Minister for Finance and Labor Relations made the disclosure on Friday, saying the shares were part of his family’s diversified superannuation fund that was established in 2014 and managed by financial advisers.
Perrottet said he accepted the party leader’s notice despite there being no evidence that he had gone beyond the ministerial code of conduct and that he himself would be in charge of the finance and labor relations ministries.
The latest blow to state government comes as Liberal NSW MLC Peter Poulos resigned from his position as Parliamentary secretary on Friday after admitting he sent X-rated images of Liberal MP Robyn Preston.
NSW Chief Minister Damien Tudehope resigned after declaring that he unknowingly held shares in Transurban, a company that owns most of the toll roads in the state.
Prime Minister Dominic Perrottet was hit by two scandals in two days, just six weeks before the New South Wales state election in March.
An emotional Mr Tudehope said earlier in the day that he was unaware the shares were part of his diversified superannuation fund and, although a profit had been made, he had assured the prime minister that he would donate it to charity.
He also denied that the oversight influenced any decisions related to WestConnex or other commuter infrastructure.
However, Tudehope later released a statement saying, “During the course of the day I have had an opportunity to consider my position and I value my own integrity and the integrity of the government as something that is not subject to repeated political attack.” .
Perrottet said that Tudehope had been “an incredibly upright man”.
Transurban, which operates most of Sydney’s toll roads, reported record profits of $1.66 billion in the half recently, having collected $835 million in tolls from Sydney drivers in six months.
Meanwhile, embattled Peter Poulos has resigned from his role as Parliamentary secretary days after apologizing for sharing explicit 1980s Penthouse footage of Robyn Preston modeling five years ago.
The photos were later shared with the media while she was applying for shortlist at the Hawkesbury venue in north-west Sydney.
While Ms Preston would win the seat, she was at the time a councilor on Hills Shire Council, and Mr Poulos worked as a political staffer.
Ms Preston confirmed there was no bad blood between her and Mr Poulos, whom she described as a “great mate”.
“Peter called me and apologized personally and was very sorry,” he said.
‘We support each other along the way on our path in politics and in friendship.’
But senior liberals had faced internal and public furor over the perceived lack of punishment.
Poulos remains on the upper house ticket.
Damien Tudehope denied that the oversight influenced any decisions related to WestConnex or other commuter infrastructure.
The mess distracted attention from Labor’s mishap: the withdrawal of former Canberra Raiders captain Terry Campese from the race for John Barilaro’s former seat.
Campese was a long shot to take the southern New South Wales seat, held by the former Nationals leader from 2011 to 2021.
But he has faced weeks of media attention, including over a scandalous party and how he came to be selected as a candidate.
“I’ve come to realize that for some, politics is not about representing the people but about their own power with a ‘win at all costs’ mentality,” he said.
“(I will retire) not because my heart is not in it, but because I love this community too much to drag it through the media, whether they are truthful or not.”
Labor enjoyed a 6.4 percent swing in the 2022 by-election sparked by Barilaro’s retirement.
Reproducing that on March 25 would take the seat out of the hands of the Nationals, but the party now faces a rush to find another representative.
While he has promised $40 million for more trails and bike lanes if elected, Minns said Campese’s decision was ultimately disappointing.
Labor had started the day by attacking the fivefold increase in well-paid executives in government departments and corporations.
“Twelve years of this government have created a surplus of top bureaucrats and a deficit of essential workers,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Greens on Friday unveiled election policy to give 16- and 17-year-olds the vote from 2024.
Party spokeswoman Abigail Boyd said the global evidence was unequivocal that granting rights to young people led to a range of benefits, including increased political participation and confidence in democracy.