Fresh Jo Haylen ministerial driver revelations revealed

With the government in crisis over ministers’ perks, fresh revelations about Transport Minister Jo Haylen’s use of drivers can be revealed … from the weekend sports run, to a private lunch west of the Blue Mountains.

Besieged Transport Minister Jo Haylen is on a knife-edge as fresh revelations of her use of ministerial drivers emerged hours after Premier Chris Minns told cabinet ministers unacceptable” use of taxpayer-funded drivers for private use “cannot happen again”.

Hours after the missive, it was revealed she used a driver and car to take her and family members to a private weekend lunch at a country acreage west of the Blue Mountains, as well as for the kids’ sports run between Caves Beach and Sydney.

The family lunch trip took place last year, with Ms Haylen enlisting a pool driver for the weekend excursion.

The acreage is located in Little Hartley, where her then-chief of staff is believed to own a property. It’s about 120km from Sydney, meaning the driver made a 240km round trip.

It is not known how long he was required to wait while the lunch took place.

Transport Minister Jo Haylen has apologised for using a taxpayer-funded driver to visit a Hunter Valley winery. Picture: Thomas Lisson

The Daily Telegraph asked if Ms Haylen would offer to stand aside and agree to an audit of her trips to reimburse the Premier’s Department on those that also did not meet the “pub test”.

Ms Haylen declined to respond.

THE SPORTS RUN

The lunch revelation came hot on the heels of news Ms Haylen repeatedly tasked her taxpayer-funded chauffeur to drive her between Caves Beach and Sydney to take her children to weekend sports games.

The government was in crisis mode on Monday evening.

Mr Minns had already vowed to tighten driver perks and slammed Ms Haylen for making a “major error” in tasking a driver with a 446 kilometre round trip so she, and Housing Minister Rose Jackson, could have a boozy long lunch at a winery on the Australia Day weekend.

The Premier gave both Ms Haylen and Ms Jackson a dressing down during the first cabinet meeting of the year.

Ms Haylen gave an “emotional” apology for “letting everyone down,” a source said.

‘TAKING THE PISS”

The Telegraph revealed Ms Haylen repeatedly booked her driver for trips between Caves Beach and Sydney to take her children, who aren’t accused of any wrongdoing, to Saturday sport in Sydney.

“There’s been a number of occasions where a driver has been tasked to go up to Caves Beach, pick her and her son up, and bring them back to Sydney so that he can play sport on the weekend,” said a source familiar with the travel arrangements.

The trips involved about 300 kilometres of driving.

The source, who requested anonymity, said it had happened “certainly more than four or five times”.

Premier Chris Minns said Ms Haylen had make a ‘massive’ error of judgment. Picture Thomas Lisson

They said that Ms Haylen was “unique” in using drivers for long-distance private journeys, and accused her of “taking the piss”.

“I don’t think anyone would think it’s reasonable to have a driver come up from Sydney to Caves Beach to take your child to kids sport”.

HOW THE CRISIS BEGAN

Ms Haylen has been under fire since Sunday, when The Sunday Telegraph revealed she summoned a driver from Sydney on January 25 to take her to a boozy Hunter Valley lunch with Housing Minister Rose Jackson.

While the Ministerial Handbook states private use of the taxpayer-funded vehicles is allowed, Ms Haylen on the weekend admitted asking her Sydney-based driver to bring up a Kia Carnival to take her and friends to lunch before he was forced to drive back to his home in Rockdale on a 446km round trip had not met the “pub test”.

When asked on Sunday if she had used a ministerial driver and car for similar trips, Ms Haylen said she couldn’t recall.

Asked to explain why she thought it was appropriate to use her driver for a Caves Beach to Sydney sports run, Ms Haylen said she was not going to “provide a running commentary” on her movements.

“Yesterday I made clear that my use of a ministerial driver last weekend was not right. I made the wrong decision. I am paying back the cost,” she said.

Mr Minns has vowed to crack down on Ministers using drivers for personal use. Picture: Thomas Lisson

“I have attended hundreds, if not more, events since becoming a minister.

“I acknowledged over the weekend that all of my government vehicle use has been within the formal guidelines. The guidelines cover vehicle and driver use for public and private events. The guidelines are now subject to review. I support this review,” she said.

Ms Haylen also refused to answer questions posted by The Daily Telegraph on Monday about the private lunch, and whether there was a work purpose, instead providing a statement being provided to all media outlets questioning her office about her travel.

“I am not going to provide a running commentary on my movements since becoming a Minister,” she said.

The Telegraph understands that the stated “purpose” for the sports run trips was technically for Ms Haylen to return to work from her holiday house, or travel to the holiday house after working in Sydney.

Asked on Sunday if there had been other instances where she had booked a car to take her “some distance from the city” to a purely private event, Ms Haylen said: “Not that I recall”.

Ms Haylen and Housing Minister Rose Jackson were driven from Caves Beach to a hunter valley winery by Ms Haylen’s ministerial driver.

While the travel was within the current rules, the Premier has now vowed to tighten arrangements to ensure drivers are only used “to help the minister in their role”.

He said it would be OK for a driver to drop a Minister’s children at school “on the way to the office,” but using drivers for “purely private” events should be scrapped.

“Driving all the way from Sydney to The Central Coast in order to go for a purely private event is not in keeping with (a Minister’s) job,” he said.

The lunch was on January 25. Photo: Supplied

Mr Minns said he would be “quizzing” Ms Haylen over whether she had booked any other drivers for non-work related events.

It would be “completely unacceptable” if Ms Haylen did it again.

“I think that there’s been a singular, a massive, but singular lapse here, and I think it was probably absent minded of her, not malicious,” he said.

Opposition Leader Mark Speakman admitted to using his driver to run errands like picking up dry-cleaning. Picture: Ted Lamb

With the government in damage control, a log book where drivers record their ministerial jobs was moved from its usual location in the government’s Martin Place offices on Monday.

Drivers were also read the riot act and told not to speak to media, multiple parliamentary sources said.

Liberal leader Mark Speakman on Monday called for Ms Haylen to be sacked, accusing her of showing “a lack of respect” for taxpayers.

Mr Speakman supported tightening the rules but conceded that sometimes he used his own driver to run errands, in line with the current guidelines.

“If I’ve got a driver who is otherwise being paid and I have dry cleaning to pick up then I might send them on an errand like that,” he said.

Originally published as Fresh Jo Haylen ministerial driver revelations revealed