Frank Sartor never saw it coming. Yesterday the former planning minister became another high-profile casualty of the NSW cabinet reshuffle.
He joins treasurer Michael Costa, who was dumped on Friday, and Health Minister Reba Meagher, who jumped before she could be pushed.
Unlike Mr Costa and Ms Meagher, however, Mr Sartor didn't see his axe falling, and now the former lord mayor of Sydney is warning new premier Nathan Rees his experience will be missed.
''I personally think he's made a mistake,'' Mr Sartor, who will remain the member for Rockdale, said.
''The Government has huge challenges ahead, and what they need is talent and experience and, while I think there are some good people in the ministry, I hope they know what they're doing.''
The new line-up of Mr Rees includes half the people former premier Morris Iemma wanted to promote namely Michael Daley, Virginia Judge and Jodi McKay.
Graham West and Kevin Greene defied expectations by surviving the reshuffle, while Tony Stewart, Phil Costa and former Parramatta mayor David Borger were added to the ministry.
As expected, John Della Bosca has returned to cabinet and, along with John Hatzistergos and right faction heavyweight Joe Tripodi, is considered a contender for the role of treasurer.
That role has never been more important, with the state's AAA credit rating under threat because of huge budget blow-outs, declining revenues and costly infrastructure plans.
Mr Rees talked up Mr Tripodi's credentials at the weekend. ''I was persuaded that, given the fiscal challenge that we face, very significant challenges there, Joe Tripodi, who has a first-class honours degree in economics ... has the sort of skills I'm going to need,'' he said.
Also returning to cabinet are Eric Roozendaal, David Campbell, Tony Kelly, Linda Burney, Matt Brown, Kristina Keneally, Barbara Perry, Verity Firth, Ian Macdonald and Paul Lynch.
Mr Rees, whose deputy premier is Carmel Tebbutt, will reveal the portfolios this morning, with the ministers due to be sworn in at midday.
''It's the combination I wanted,'' Mr Rees said after emerging from caucus.
''It's got the courage, it's got the talent and it's got, most importantly, the work ethic.
''That's what this exercise has been about and this is a team that I believe will improve our standing in NSW and deliver the services that we need for NSW and, most importantly, get about restoring people's confidence in our administration.''
But Opposition Leader Barry O'Farrell says that, while the soap opera may have ended, ''the re-runs ... have just started''.
''Yes, a quarter of the ministry has changed, but the real players, the people who determine who comes and goes, are still there and still calling the shots,'' he said.
''Frank Sartor's been punted because he, like Reba Meagher, attracted enormous public dissatisfaction, but principally he's been punted because he's not one of the factional heavies.
''Nothing really has changed. Joe Tripodi is still there, Eddie Obeid's still calling the shots.''
Mr Sartor said Mr Rees was ''more concerned about perceptions'' than about who got the job done, but would not be drawn on what he believed his own public perception was after nearly 17 years in public office.
When asked why he sacked Mr Sartor, Mr Rees implied Mr Sartor had been a ''dysfunctional'' influence in cabinet.
''I've been in cabinet for the last 18 months and on occasions that cabinet has been dysfunctional, largely because of the personalities involved,'' he said.
Mr Sartor said he wasn't a ''bomb-thrower'' and while he would write a book about his work in the City of Sydney it would not be ''Latham-esque'', referring to former federal Labor leader Mark Latham. AAP
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