Joe Tripodi goes - but why?

Joe Tripodi, brother-in-law of our local member Angela D'Amore, has decided to quit politics. Angela of course is having her own problems with ICAC over rorted allowances.

Interesting to note earlier this week that Joe was friends with Tonette Kelly, a public servant lawyer who has been found to be corrupt.

In earlier evidence, another Maritime lawyer, Sean O'Dwyer, said he believed Ms Kelly was ''very powerful, very highly connected'' with ''a personal and professional relationship with people as high up as the minister'' and invariably got her way.

Mr O'Dwyer said it was ''common knowledge'' within Maritime that the then minister, Joe Tripodi, would drop in to see Ms Kelly.

''It was the subject of a fair bit of comment whereby the minister would come to Rozelle and he would go into Tonette's office before going into the CEO's office, which is very unusual for a government department.''

Does something smell of fish?

By the way, I've been doing a bit of light reading, trawling through the ICAC transcripts regarding the investigation into Angela (I'm having trouble sleeping). The following is a series of questions put to a staffer working for Angela, along with his responses.

You didn’t by the way like going to parliament did you?---No.

You didn’t like the conditions of work at Parliament House?---No, I didn’t like the people at Parliament House.

Okay. All right. So you preferred if you had a choice in the matter to work at the Drummoyne electorate office didn’t you?---I think that’s where the member’s work is, is, serves a greater benefit.

Right. But at all events you personally preferred the class of people you encountered at the Drummoyne electorate office than the people at - - -? Infinitely.

I beg your - - -?---Infinitely.

Thank you. Now, so if there was any way of your getting out of going to parliament and remaining at the Drummoyne electorate office where you thought you could carry out your duties more efficiently you would take that option wouldn’t you?---If it was possible for me to remain in the electorate I would.

Makes you wonder what sort of people are working in parliament house for the Labor party if an experienced staffer of long standing doesn't want to have anything to do with them.