Sartor seen as too gung-ho to lead

FORMER NSW planning minister Frank Sartor was last night denied his long-term ambition to be premier.

FORMER NSW planning minister Frank Sartor was last night denied his long-term ambition to be premier, as colleagues turned their back on a man who has been seen as a divisive figure in NSW politics.

While few question his policy nous, controversy has long followed the former lord mayor of Sydney, who is described as bad-tempered even by his supporters.

Whether it was calling Aboriginal activist Mick Mundine a "black bastard" on Koori radio, or alienating developers and councillors alike during his brash three-year reign in the planning portfolio, Mr Sartor never shied away from a fight.

And many judged that that was the last thing the crumbling NSW Labor Party needed right now.

"I can't see him being a terribly successful premier," said Paul Ellercamp, a journalist who worked as Mr Sartor's press secretary during his time as mayor at Sydney City Council. "He's good on policy, he's good on agenda, but Frank's not a people person.

"He's a very impatient bloke. If people don't get his policy positions straight away or don't support it, he gets quite irate, quite irrational."

Former deputy premier John Watkins said yesterday that Mr Sartor would have been an "exciting" and "mercurial" premier.

But it was not to be, with Mr Sartor knocked out as the Right's candidate for the leadership in favour of Kristina Keneally, who ultimately triumphed over Nathan Rees in last night's caucus vote for premier.

Aside from doubt about his appeal to the electorate, Mr Sartor has had poisonous relations with the two kingmakers of NSW politics, Joe Tripodi and Eddie Obeid.

He also developed a reputation for being too close to developers during his tumultuous tenure as planning minister.

However, his achievements as planning minister included building two new swimming pools in the Sydney CBD, revamping Hyde Park and refurbishing East Circular Quay and the historic Customs House.

Aaron Gadiel, chief executive officer of Urban Taskforce Australia, was also critical of Mr Sartor's performance in the planning portfolio.

"Frank has presided over the significant falls in housing construction in NSW," Mr Gadiel said yesterday.

"The development industry in NSW is at rock bottom and that started under his watch.

"He was a very challenging planning minister to deal with."

There was a clear need for reform of the planning systems in NSW to kick-start major developments in the state, but despite this, and despite the major campaign run against him by local councils, his reforms were mostly directed at mum-and-dad developers.

Major projects, and in particular "green fields" developments, tanked under his watch.

Mr Sartor's style also grated with developers.

"Frank knows what he wants and he's a very determined individual," Mr Gadiel said.

"And if what you want accords with what he wants, then it will happen.

"But if it doesn't, then you can expect some friction."