NSW Transport Minister Jo Haylen’s office pushed for public servants with links to the Labor Party to work in her office in roles meant to be politically neutral, leading the head of the department to raise concerns about the work being conducted by staff.
The placement – one of a series of departmental liaison roles within Haylen’s office given to people with ties to the Labor Party – raised alarm bells within the transport bureaucracy due to the strictly non-partisan nature of the role. “Howard raised with Scott his concerns to ensure Kieran adheres to the parameters of the scope of a DLO role,” the email states.
Haylen’s office later sought approval from the transport agency to extend his secondment until May next year. Despite the extension, emails show Gilchrist will now make an “early departure” from Haylen’s office on November 17. Amid the furore over Murray in August, Ash’s secondment to Haylen’s office quietly ended last month despite an earlier request for his period to be extended by almost eight months.“The documents clearly show Howard Collins’ concerns about minister Haylen and her office’s request to appoint Labor operatives,” she said.