A bottle of Grange has given Tony Abbott an unexpected Easter present. It appears the Prime Minister finally has a NSW Premier he can count on.
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The last time Barry O'Farrell made national headlines before his unfortunate memory lapse at the Independent Commission Against Corruption was at the end of March when he poured scorn on Mr Abbott's unilateral decision to bring back the knights and dames and to criticise moves to repeal sections of the Racial Discrimination Act. ''Pigs might fly,'' was his pithy response to the admittedly facetious suggestion by a reporter that Mr O'Farrell may one day be known as Sir Barry of Turramurra.
And, unlike celebrity diarist and inveterate globe-trotter Bob Carr, the politician commonly known as BOF apparently gives a damn about what Jews think. ''Anything that enables them [Holocaust deniers] to get through the legal system without getting touched I will vigorously oppose,'' Mr O'Farrell recently told the Australia Israel Chamber of Commerce, referring to the push to scrap section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act.
While such independence is, in many respects, refreshing from the PM's perspective, it only encourages the other side and the commentariat. ''Tony Abbott is out of touch'' becomes the catch-cry, ''even BOF says so''.
The Australian Federal Police College's best-known resident is likely to have much less trouble with his newest NSW bestie - or should we say clone? Like Mr Abbott, Mike Baird is a God-fearing, surf-loving, clean-cut conservative Sydneysider blessed with a political family from central casting. And, more importantly, as Treasurer since the government's election in March 2011, he is savvy on economic matters and will be keen to present matching state and federal budget narratives in the lead-up to the March 2015 NSW election.
That vote may, according to some analysts, deliver a better result for the NSW government than if Mr O'Farrell had not had his ''massive memory fail''. Just short of a year out from the election, the NSW Coalition has swiftly installed a fresh leadership team that appears to have a good chance of moving away from the ''small target'' strategy that has been its hallmark ever since Mr O'Farrell stepped up after Peter Debnam lost the unloseable election to Morris Iemma in 2007.
While that strategy is highly appropriate for an opposition gifted with political opponents who publicly eviscerate themselves en route to the mother of all election defeats, it is not such a good look for a government elected on a reform ticket with 69 seats to the ALP's 20. Labor, you may recall, lost 32 seats in March 2011 and handed the Liberals such a sweeping majority they could have governed NSW in their own right, without the Nationals.
With NSW's economy finally showing signs of life, infrastructure is the buzz word and it is a truth universally acknowledged - at least by the more fiscally responsible elements of the Liberal Party - that the best way to pay for it is to flog about $30 billion worth of electricity distribution and transmission assets. This has the bonus of a 15 per cent incentive payment from the federal Treasury that could be worth up to $5 billion to NSW.
If the Coalition in 2015 is to lock in at least some of the remarkable electoral gains it made in 2011, it has to present voters with reasons to vote for it rather than just against the other mob. A fully funded $35 billion works program would be an excellent place to start.
As a cleanskin with strong economic credentials and a political career that dates only to 2007, Mr Baird is uniquely placed to write a new Coalition narrative. The departure as Liberal deputy of Jillian Skinner - an ''unintended consequence'' of Mr O'Farrell's decision to stand down - but necessary to keep leadership aspirant Gladys Berejiklian onside - also has more pluses than minuses. Mrs Skinner, possibly the smallest of small targets in a small-target government, has not been setting the world on fire and could well benefit from having more time to devote to her health portfolio between now and March.