Minister for the Illawarra Greg Pearce has been sacked after a tumultuous two months tainted by allegations he was drunk in Parliament, had misused taxpayer funds for private travel and issues around his pecuniary interests and board appointments.
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News of his removal from the role came just hours before he was scheduled to drive to the Illawarra to discuss a shortlist of successful projects in the NSW government's much touted Port Kembla lease fund.
NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell said yesterday Mr Pearce had been sacked because he had failed to disclose a conflict of interest in relation to a board appointment at Sydney Water.
"This afternoon I spoke to Mr Pearce and informed him he would no longer remain on the frontbench," he said.
"I mean it when I say I expect the highest standards from members of my government."
Relatively unknown parliamentary secretary and upper house member John Ajaka will take over the Illawarra portfolio, as well as the role of disabilities minister, in his first cabinet appointment.
Mr Pearce's other portfolio of finance and services has been assigned to Bega MP Andrew Constance, who acted in the Illawarra job while Mr Pearce was on stress leave in June.
Shellharbour MP Anna Watson said Mr Pearce's removal was long overdue.
"The Premier should have taken the advice of every Labor MP in the Illawarra and sacked Greg Pearce when he had the chance after his drinking incident.
"Greg Pearce's heart was never in the job of representing the Illawarra as a minister," she said.
"He rarely visited the region, shut down the region's ministerial office and only seemed to holiday on the South Coast on the weekend."
She said Kiama MP Gareth Ward should have been given the Illawarra ministry, saying Mr Ajaka was a "faceless man".
However, Mr O'Farrell said Mr Ajaka had worked hard as the parliamentary secretary for transport and roads and thoroughly deserved his promotion.
"Mr Ajaka was born in the Illawarra and spent the early part of his life living at Corrimal," he said.
"He is well aware of the issues facing the region and for the past six years he has been the Liberal Party's MLC for the St George-Illawarra region."
Mr Ward welcomed the appointment of Mr Ajaka, saying he was "relieved" not to have been given the Illawarra ministry.
"I'm very excited and looking forward to working with him ... it's an excellent appointment and a great sigh of relief for me."
Mr Ward, who is running the expressions of interest process for the $100 million port fund, said he had decided to cancel the Illawarra minister's scheduled meeting with the Illawarra Community Advisory Panel last night.
The announcement Mr Pearce was due to make today about the 22 projects which would progress to the next rounds of the Illawarra Infrastructure Fund had also been put off until early next week.
How it unfolded
May 30: During a visit to the region, Mr Pearce promises that projects funded by the $100million port windfall will be under way by the end of the year.
June 4: It is reported that Mr Pearce had to be helped from Parliament during a marathon sitting in the early hours of May 29 after allegedly being too drunk to continue. Mr Pearce denies being drunk but Premier Barry O’Farrell warns him if it happens again that ‘‘he won’t be part of my team’’.
June 7: It is reported that Mr Pearce failed to disclose ownership of a central Sydney apartment and a block of land on the North Coast.
June 12: Claims surface that Mr Pearce took taxpayer-funded trips that coincided with major sporting events, including the Melbourne Cup and AFL grand final.
June 14: Mr Pearce takes a month’s paid stress leave on the same day a government report finds that he rorted travel entitlements by booking a private trip to Canberra through the government’s travel agency. He paid the bill but saved himself $188 by using the contractor.
July 15: On his first day back at work from stress leave, he visits the Illawarra to discuss the $100million Illawarra infrastructure fund.
July 30: Mr Pearce declines to reveal the official reasons for his 15 taxpayer-funded four-star hotel stays in the region during his two-year tenure.
August 1: Mr Pearce sacked from the frontbench over a conflict of interest.