The ALP have a policy of pleasing as many people as possible, its a shame the voters are so easily pleased.

The treasury secretary has bet someone $10 that he can bring down the Rees government, and that no-one in the government will be smart enough to understand whats going on.

Hmm, maybe, maybe not.

Todays SMH:

JUST days after what has been described as the worst NSW budget in memory, the man who has presided over the state’s coffers for 12 years, the Treasury Secretary, John Pierce, has deserted the Government.

A senior Labor source said Mr Pierce had been unhappy with the mini-budget process and wanted to quit earlier.

Mr Pierce was a key architect of the Iemma government’s failed plan to privatise the state’s electricity industry, and will leave within two weeks.

But the Treasurer, Eric Roozendaal, denied Mr Pierce had quit over the mini-budget. He said Mr Pierce had indicated earlier he wanted to leave but had agreed to stay until the mini-budget was delivered.

Mr Pierce’s departure is a significant crack in the tightly knit group that runs the state.

Then again, according to Terrorgraph, he didn’t jump, he was pushed:

And last night it emerged Premier Nathan Rees sacked senior bureaucrat John Pearse[sic] – the longest serving state treasurer secretary…

The Government’s woes continued last night with the shock sacking of Mr Pearse just days after he handed down the mini-budget on behalf of the government. It is believed Mr Pearse was disillusioned with the new administration.

Sources inside Treasury revealed that a number of senior Treasury staff including Mr Pearse believed that their own credibility was being harmed by the Government’s handling of the economy.

In what insiders claim was a “appalling dismissal, Mr Pearse found out about his sacking after being phoned by associates.

Mr Pearse then contacted Treasurer Eric Roozendaal to confirm his dismissal and was told it was true. Mr Roozendaal then turned around and asked Mr Pearce if he would still stay on for the interim and go to New York on behalf of the Government to argue the case with ratings agencies. Mr Pearce said no. He will be replaced by former head of Sydney Water Terry Schott.

a) achieve no worthwhile ends, and
b) piss-off as many people as possible.

I can think of only two possible explanations.

1) Rees/Tripodi/Roozendaal are trying to blackmail Rudd into providing more money.

2) The treasury secretary has bet someone $10 that he can bring down the Rees government, and that no-one in the government will be smart enough to understand what’s going on.