Tim Crakanthorp’s mother-in-law is pleased that the Minister of Labor has been fired after it was found that he had breached the ministerial code of conduct.
NSW Prime Minister Chris Minns announced in a brief press conference on Wednesday afternoon that Mr Crakanthorp, the Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education, as well as the Minister for the Hunter Region, had been removed from the cabinet.
He was asked to resign over a perceived conflict of interest after failing to declare his family’s personal private land holdings in the Hunter region.
Mr Crakanthorp had turned himself in after failing to disclose the property of his in-laws and wife in Broadmeadow, Newcastle.
Tim Crakanthorp’s mother-in-law is pleased that the labor minister has been sacked after he was found to have breached the ministerial code of conduct
His mother-in-law, Santina Manitta, unleashed a foul-mouthed tirade after the news broke.
“I don’t give a fuck about my son-in-law… my son is a rotten politician, fuck ’em,” she said The Daily Telegraph.
“I’m happy (he’s fired) because he should never have been a politician, he’s wasted his time.
“Politicians are fucking stupid, and he thought he was going to solve the world’s problems.”
She said her husband Joe had “done so much work” on a $1.25 million property they bought in Broadmeadow, not Mr. Crakanthorp.
That house was bought by Mr. Manitta, who then sold it in February of this year to his daughter, Mr. Crakanthorp’s wife, Laura. The purchase of that property has not been disclosed.
Mr Crakanthorp (pictured with family) had turned himself in after failing to disclose the properties of his in-laws and wife in Broadmeadow, Newcastle
During the questioning of the publication, Ms. Manitta reportedly suffered a medical episode and an ambulance was called.
She was then treated by paramedics and walked back inside her home.
Mr Minns said on Wednesday that he had ‘lost confidence’ in Mr Crakanthorp as a minister in his government, and has taken the matter to ICAC.
Mr Crakanthorp said in a statement: ‘I myself reported a breach of the ministerial code of conduct to Prime Minister Chris Minns and have resigned as a minister in the NSW government.
“I will remain as a member for Newcastle. I will not comment further at this time.’
Mr Minns said he was aware of the commercial real estate positions on Wednesday.
“This has raised concerns that he may have acted in cases where he had a conflict between his public duties and the private interests of his family members,” he said.
“Mr. Crakanthorp has until recently failed to provide information on substantial private family businesses in the Hunter region when he should have, in clear violation of the ministerial code.”
When asked what the minister’s reasoning was, Mr Minns said it was for Mr Crakanthorp to comment.
“There was significant private land holdings in the Hunter that had not been communicated to us, so in many ways it doesn’t matter what his rationale was,” he said.
‘I’m disappointed. We want to have a cabinet in NSW that people can believe in and have confidence in.”
Mr Minns could not say whether Mr Crakanthorp benefited financially from the breach, adding that all information would be passed on to ICAC.
The Prime Minister said there was a ‘considerable’ number of private landholdings in the Hunter.
NSW Prime Minister Chris Minns said on Wednesday he had ‘lost confidence’ in Mr Crakanthorp (pictured together) as a minister in his government, and has referred the matter to ICAC
“I can’t give you a number, but obviously more than a few (properties),” he said.
Crakanthorp is the first Labor minister to lose his job in Minn’s less than six months as prime minister.
He was elected in 2014.
Deputy Prime Minister Prue Car will assume responsibility as interim minister for skills, TAFE and tertiary education and training.
Police and Counter-Terrorism Minister Yasmin Catley will assume responsibility as interim Minister for the Hunter.
Mr Crakanthorp remains Member of Parliament for Newcastle.