NEWS of NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell’s shock resignation reached the Member for Northern Tablelands, Adam Marshall, via a radio broadcast as he was driving.
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After attending an Inverell Chamber of Commerce meeting yesterday morning, Mr Marshall was returning to Armidale when the news broke. He said he was very shocked by the Premier’s decision and still processing the situation when speaking to The Inverell Times.
“In the circumstances I think he has acted honourably,” Mr Marshall said.
Labor’s duty MLC for the Northern Tablelands and shadow minister for Rural and Regional Affairs Mick Vietch described it as a staggering event for the whole Parliament.
“The reality is that we’re still trying to come to grips with what has happened and why,” Mr Veitch said.
“On face value the Premier has made a decision based on his evidence yesterday at the ICAC. I must say a ’59 bottle of Grange wouldn’t be worth losing the Premiership, but that’s apparently what’s happened in NSW.
“I think Barry O’Farrell owes the people of NSW a much fuller explanation as to why he has resigned.”
Mr O'Farrell resigned after being caught out lying to a corruption inquiry after a handwritten note was tendered in which he thanked the head of a company linked to the Obeid family for a $3000 bottle of wine.
On Wednesday, Mr O'Farrell had categorically denied to ICAC that he received the $3000 bottle of wine. Tablelands Liberal MLC Scot MacDonald admitted he was surprised, and said he was extremely disappointed.
“I thought Barry was a good Premier. I think Barry is living to the standards he’s always set, so I’m not surprised from that point of view,” Mr MacDonald said.
“We’ve got a party-room meeting called for next week and I’d like to see that happen as quickly as possible, so we can get back on track again.
“I think there’s a range of candidates for the next Premier, from Mike Baird as Treasurer, I think has been a stand-out. I think Anthony Roberts has been a stand-out. We’re not short of good aspirants, that’s for sure.”
Mr Veitch said: “The dynamics of the Liberal Party are forever changing, and they’ve got more factions than the Labor Party.
“The hallways are already abuzz with names like Gladys Berejiklian and Mike Baird being thrown around. This is interesting times for the National Party too, because there will be a Ministerial reshuffle.
“This provides the Nationals with an opportunity to look at their Ministerial allocations, remove under-performers and promote others from within. I think this will also be an interesting time for the National Party and people shouldn’t lose sight of that.”