Hay, Once A Premier's Ally, Now A Proven Liability
Illawarra Mercury
Saturday September 13, 2008
WHEN Morris Iemma resigned as premier, Wollongong MP Noreen Hay lost a key political ally in Macquarie St.
Mr Iemma stuck with Ms Hay through thick and thin, defending her even as she was accused of arranging a meeting between developer Frank Vellar and Wollongong Councillor Frank Gigliotti.Mr Iemma briefly dropped her as parliamentary secretary for health in March after the Independent Commission Against Corruption played a telephone intercept between Ms Hay and Mr Vellar, but reinstated her after ICAC Commissioner Jerrold Cripps said she was not a person of interest.He watched as Ms Hay came under scrutiny for her failure to declare $110,000 in donations for the 2007 election campaign. At the time she said it was a mistake made at Labor Party head office.More recently Ms Hay made headlines after topping the list of political fund-raisers in NSW - raising $20,000 more than her nearest rival.Since Mr Iemma's demise, Ms Hay has enjoyed no such support. Accusations that she took part in a sordid sex dance with parliamentary colleague Matt Brown may have been the last straw for Premier Nathan Rees.Despite denials from Mr Brown and Ms Hay that the act took place, Mr Rees dumped her as parliamentary secretary for health and in doing so removed a political liability.Ms Hay was also dumped as the Premier's representative on the ALP's internal administrative committee.Mr Rees did not give a specific reason, only saying: "This decision is about ensuring the right people are placed in the right positions; it is about renewing the Government."Ms Hay did not return the Mercury's calls yesterday.
© 2008 Illawarra Mercury
