The appointment of Joe Tripodi’s and Eddie Obeid’s puppet, Kristina Keneally, to the Premiership has thrown Illawarra Labor MPs into chaos, Shadow Minister for the Illawarra Greg Pearce said today.

“Illawarra Labor MPs who were pitted against each other, on either side of the leadership battle, are now scrambling in the self-interest-driven chaos of NSW Labor politics,” Mr Pearce said.

“Yesterday Matt Brown, Lylea McMahon and Noreen Hay signed the internal petition calling for Rees to be dumped, but Paul McLeay spoke against a leadership spill.

“It is clear Matt Brown, Lylea McMahon and Noreen Hay are part of the treacherous and malignant force within the Labor Party which is impairing the job of governing NSW.

“Now it’s likely Matt Brown, Lylea McMahon and Noreen Hay will be seeking reward from puppet masters Joe Tripodi and Eddie Obeid, as the internal factional dealing proceeds to work out who will share the spoils of Government and be appointed Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries.

“Paul McLeay will be desperately scrambling to hold onto his role as a Minister, despite picking the wrong horse when he backed Nathan Rees.

“The short length of Paul McLeay’s Ministerial career may only be matched by that of Matt Brown’s.

“The unfortunate part of Labor’s factional brawling and dealing is the Illawarra Labor MPs who are pitted against each other are not focussed on the job they were elected to do – represent their constituents.

“Labor’s factional fights, plotting and scheming have distracted Matt Brown, Paul McLeay, Lylea McMahon and Noreen Hay from getting on with the job of delivering funds for the Gerringong to Bomaderry Princes Highway Upgrade, securing a future for Bulli Hospital or expanding Wollongong Hospital’s emergency department.

“Labor’s factional fighting and scandal is set to continue as puppet masters Joe Tripodi and Eddie Obeid pull all of Kristina Keneally’s strings.

“The only way to achieve change for the better in the Illawarra is for there to be a change of NSW Government, and to change the Government there needs to be State Liberal MPs representing the Illawarra,” Mr Pearce said.