THE NSW Finance and Infrastructure Minister, Joe Tripodi, walked out of a news conference yesterday rather than answer questions over claims by Morris Iemma that he helped force the then premier's resignation to save his own job.
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Mr Tripodi is likely to be the subject of Opposition attacks when Parliament resumes today over his promotion by Mr Iemma's successor, Nathan Rees.
The view within Labor is that Mr Tripodi won the finance portfolio - and the elevation of his factional ally Eric Roozendaal to the Treasurer's job - in reward for his support for Mr Rees. Mr Tripodi also believed the moves meant he could play a big role in shaping the Government's economic policy, including the November mini-budget.
The Herald has learnt that on the Thursday night before Mr Iemma resigned on September 5, Mr Tripodi told him that, with the treasurer Michael Costa about to be sacked, Mr Iemma should appoint him either assistant treasurer or finance minister.
Mr Iemma had no intention of elevating Mr Tripodi. The Herald revealed yesterday that he believed he was forced to resign because Mr Tripodi, an important numbers man, switched his support when his own job was under threat in a caucus vote.
"There was a move for a spill, it was not a move for a spill [against] me but a spill [against] Joe. Joe cut a deal to save himself," Mr Iemma said. "He wouldn't be first to [do so] in politics and he's not going to be the last."
The Opposition believes Mr Tripodi and Mr Roozendaal are an Achilles heel for Mr Rees as he tries to re-establish the Government's economic credibility following revelations it potentially faces a $1 billion black hole in the budget.
In a bizarre twist, it has emerged that Mr Costa has offered his nemeses on electricity privatisation, the Unions NSW secretary, John Robertson, and the Electrical Trades Union secretary, Bernie Riordan, his upper house spot. Both have declined.
Mr Robertson said yesterday he would not even contest the 2011 election for state Labor, let alone run for Parliament earlier.
Mr Tripodi walked out of a news conference at Rozelle Bay yesterday when asked when he had switched his support from Mr Iemma to Mr Rees.
Earlier he said Mr Iemma had not "told the full story" but he was not prepared to contest the former premier's version of events.
"I have enormous sympathy for the situation with the Iemma family and I have some understanding of the pain that they're going through," Mr Tripodi said.
"If it comforts them to be able to bring out this version of events, then I'm happy to go along with it.
"I'm not going to say anything that contradicts what has been said but I can say to you that the full story has not come out."
The Opposition Leader, Barry O'Farrell, said: "Tripodi and Roozendaal are the dodgy brothers of state politics.
"You wouldn't buy a house off them, so therefore you wouldn't trust them to run NSW's $320 billion economy.
"They're not there out of merit, they're there because of factional deals done by Mr Rees."