Premier Gladys Berejiklian’s loyal lieutenant moves on in office shake-up

The Sauce: Big shake-up of staff in the Premier’s office; which minister showed off his fiddling talents last week; and how an old Nokia came to the rescue during the bushfire crisis.

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A major shake-up is under way in the office of Premier Gladys Berejiklian, with her loyal lieutenant of almost five years, Ehssan Veiszadeh, leaving his job as media director to take on a new role as director of strategy.

Veiszadeh, who first took up a job with Berejiklian when she was treasurer, has run the office — and her ministers’ media offices — with an iron fist, managing the team through more than a few sticky situations.

Ehssan Veiszadeh, known as the ‘blocker’ in media circles, is leaving his job as NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian’s media director for a new role as director of strategy. Picture: Sam Mooy

Dubbed “blocker” by some spin-doctors for thwarting the release of various responses or stories to journalists — he would argue the timing was wrong — it will be interesting to see if Veiszadeh continues with his Mandalorian-style “supercommando” approach to management in the new gig.

The Sauce has also been told the Premier’s other loyal staffer, chief-of-staff Sarah Cruikshank, may also be on the move next year after a big few years in the top office.

Cruikshank, who is longest serving chief-of-staff to a NSW Liberal premier, has made it no secret of her desire to one day return to public service.

Ehssan Veiszadeh and his wife Mariam. Picture: Instagram

As for who is likely to fill her role, the most likely candidate is deputy chief-of-staff Neil Harley, who took on the role after the March state election.

Harley was a lobbyist and chief-of-staff for retired federal MP Craig Laundy before joining the Premier’s office six months after she took on the top job.

The office had a challenging year this year, having to deal with the abortion debacle and threats of a leadership all coming off the back of an election victory.

The question that remains is how long the Premier herself plans to stick around.

Roll on 2020.

FIDDLING POLLIES
There are not a lot of opportunities for pollies to showcase their hidden talents, what with the daily grind of government.

So it was with considerable excitement that Families, Communities and Disabilities Minister Gareth Ward was finally given the opportunity to pull out his fiddle at Premier Gladys Berejiklian’s annual Christmas function for NSW Liberal MPs and their partners at Aria Restaurant last week.

Families, Communities and Disabilities Minister Gareth Ward has another string to his bow.

“I know no one likes a fiddling politician,” Ward declared to his audience, before belting out a Grammy-winning version of Devil Went Down To Georgia, subbing in Labor leader Jodi McKay going down to Sussex Street.

The night ended with MPs singing Christmas carols while playing percussion instruments such as tambourines, prompting many to declare the evening among the best nights this year.

The Sauce was told the only flat moment was when Government Whip Adam Crouch attempted to be funny by handing out spoof awards. “It was a bit excruciating,” one guest said.

While some of the shenanigans were filmed by Upper House president John Ajaka, he claimed he deleted the evidence as it had been “poor quality”

“You know how old people think movies take up too much storage on their phones …” another guest said when asked by The Sauce if it was really true that Ajaka would bin such a gem. Boo.

LABOR PAINS

The race is on to fill a vacant assistant ALP general secretary role, with McKell executive director Sam Crosby, union organiser George Houssos and corporate lawyer Lucy Mannering and among those tipped as candidates.

With the recent Lavarch review into the failed State election campaign recommending that senior party officials be banned from seeking elected office for five years, The Sauce wonders if the trio are willing to put aside their future public office careers.

Crosby was a candidate for Reid at the last federal election, while Mannering stood for the State seat of Oatley. Houssos has also been a candidate, although more than a decade ago.

With the recommendations yet to be ratified, Sussex Street sources claim acting ALP general secretary Bob Nanva could technically strike a deal with left-wing assistant secretary George Simon to make the proposed rule apply to future candidates.

The Primary Industries Department cranked up a ‘vintage’ phone to take calls during the bushfire crisis.

GOING OLD SCHOOL

An old school Nokia mobile phone came to the rescue of NSW Department of Primary Industries staff recently, when the agency’s switchboard was jammed with calls to an 1800 bushfire helpline number it had set up for affected farmers.

With the DPI’s Orange office landline running hot, a staffer dug out the vintage device to find it still worked. Soon enough it was being used to help answer calls.

The office has since assisted in supplying 41 tonnes of sugar for bees, 3700 kilolitres of water and about 8000 tonnes of fodder with more than 2000 calls received.

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