Currently reading Simon Benson’s book Betrayal which describes the sacrifice of NSW Premier Iemma on the altar of the prejudices and personal ambitions of a handful of trade union powerbrokers. Rudd also emerged with blood on his hands when he reneged on an agreement to support the sensible and appropriate policy in NSW when the time came, in return for Iemma holding back the privatisation until after the Federal election.
This extract describes the meeting where Rudd persuaded Iemma to hold back on the eve of announcing firm plans to proceed, at a time when the plan would have gone ahead before the trade union resistance firmed up to the point where it could be blocked at the State Labor Conference in the following year. The delay cost the state of NSW many billions of dollars and it spelled the end of Iemma’s premiership.
Some interviews with the author and also Costa.
