Kristina Keneally calls on NSW Labor to move out of Sussex St

Kristina Keneally calls for the disgraced head office of the NSW ALP to move and review the role of its general secretary.

Kristina Keneally wants NSW Labor to review the role of its all powerful general secretary. Picture: AAP. .

Former NSW premier Kristina Keneally has called for the disgraced head office of the NSW Labor Party to move out of Sussex St and review the role of its all powerful general secretary.

Senator Keneally — now Labor’s federal home affairs spokeswoman — said today she was “very angry” at NSS ICAC revelations into the party’s handling of Chinese-linked donations.

After the downfall of the party’s secretary Kaila Murnain this week, Senator Keneally it is time for the party to consider older, more experienced operators for the top branch job and to consider splitting the role in two.

“The party needs to take this opportunity to take a step back. To review its structure, its focus, its purpose,” she told Sky News.

“Should we have all of these responsibilities sit with one general secretary? What are the qualities we’re looking for in a general secretary? Should it be someone a bit older? Should we maybe split the administrative and campaigning functions?”

Senator Keneally has also called for the NSW branch to move out of its infamous headquarters in Sussex St, where factional bosses have made and broken premiers and prime ministers for decades.

“Frankly, I also have a view that it might be time to look at changing the physical location of head office. Sometimes to change culture, you have to change environment,” she told Sky News.

Senator Keneally became NSW Labor leader in 2010 during the second leadership change of that NSW parliamentary term when disgraced party powerbrokers Eddie Obeid and Joe Tripodi were at the height of their powers. She led Labor to its worst election defeat in state history in 2011.