Business groups demand change as Kristina Keneally becomes NSW’s first female Premier

NSW has its first female Premier after American-born Labor MP Kristina Keneally ousted Nathan Rees after a bitter partyroom fight.

Rees, who declared before the leadership spill that any new Premier would be a “puppet” of NSW factional heavyweights Joe Tripodi and Eddie Obeid, was rolled after just months in the job.

But Keneally says she is nobody’s puppet and has promised to put an end to the Labor party factional brawls that has seen the party have four leaders in four years.

She has promised “a focus on jobs and economic investment as NSW leads the nation out of its economic downturn”.

“As planning minister I set us a goal of building Australia’s best planning system. That’s the same focus I bring to my job as Premier as we tackle the challenges, particularly in public transport,” she said.

Both of NSW major employer groups, the Sydney Business Chamber and the NSW Chamber of Commerce congratulated Keneally on her appointment, but called for the new Premier to start getting the state back on track.

“I hope we will see an end to the navel-gazing that has paralysed the Government and NSW along with it,” Sydney Business Chamber’s executive director Patricia Forsythe said after Keneally’s win.

“Members of Sydney Business Chamber have been telling me they are sick and tired of a government that is focused on itself rather than on improving NSW as the first place to do business. The Government needs to pull itself together from this point and focus on the long-term reforms NSW needs to be competitive.”

Stephen Cartwright, CEO of NSW Business Chamber, backed Forsythe’s comments.

“Normally such a change of leadership provides an opportunity for a government to renew itself. We can only hope that the election of the fourth Premier in as many years will mark a turning point for the Government.”

“For too long, the Government’s focus has been on the personalities within the Government rather than on the policies to help NSW grow and thrive. Our hope is that the new Premier will focus the Government on the real challenges in transport, infrastructure and creating jobs.