Minns Calls Haylen’s winery trip a ‘big black mark’ as NSW tightens ministerial driver rules

Premier Chris Minns has condemned embattled minister Jo Haylen’s use of a taxpayer-funded driver for a winery trip, calling it a “big black mark” on his government and adding he would be “extremely concerned” if further incidents came to light.

Premier Chris Minns has again defended embattled transport minister Jo Haylen, even as he admitted her use of a taxpayer-funded driver for a Hunter Valley winery trip was a “big black mark for the government.”

During a heated discussion with 2GB’s Ben Fordham on Tuesday, Mr Minns was pressed on reports of another wine tasting trip the minister reportedly took.

“I don’t know what you’re going to do if, as I’m informed, another example comes out … another winery or wine tasting trip last year,” Fordham said.

Minns responded that he was unaware.

“I’d be very concerned if there was another example,” he said.

The Daily Telegraph broke the ‘Van Haylen’ saga on Sunday, reporting that Ms Haylen had summoned a ministerial driver on a 446km round trip to bring a luxury people mover to chauffeur her and friends from Caves Beach on the Australia Day long weekend.

This masthead then revealed the vehicle transported Ms Haylen and her friends to a popular Hunter Valley winery for a ‘boozy’ afternoon. One of the guests on board was fellow Minister Rose Jackson. The driver returned to Sydney at roughly 8:50pm, having completed a shift of almost 13 hours.

Premier Chris Minns said Ms Haylen had make a ‘massive’ error of judgment. Picture: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

On Tuesday, this masthead reported Ms Haylen had also used her taxpayer-funded driver to attend a lunch in the Blue Mountains and also to ferry her children to sport from Caves Beach to Sydney.

A source familiar with the Minister’s travel arrangements said Ms Haylen had ‘on a number of occasions’ tasked a driver with the massive round trip.

In the wake of the scandal, Mr Minns has announced plans to tighten rules around ministerial drivers, admitting he had hoped “good judgment would prevail” but that the privilege had been abused.

“I think this is very damaging. Obviously, this is a big black mark for the government. I think you said on your program yesterday that it’s poor judgment, and I can’t defend the indefensible,” he said on 2GB.

“As soon as we were elected, I’ve let it go for two years, thinking that good judgment would prevail and that the public would have confidence that if you did have a driver, we wouldn’t treat it as if it was a right, but in actual fact, it’s a privilege, a privilege to have a driver so that you can work longer and harder on behalf of taxpayers in the state. That hasn’t happened,” he said.

“I am saying today on the program that we are changing the rules in New South Wales to ensure that (ministerial drivers) are used for official business purposes. If it’s private use, it’s only for incidental or minor parts of a minister’s job.”

Haylen, already under scrutiny, faces fresh allegations that she used a ministerial driver for private trips, including a family lunch at a country property west of the Blue Mountains and transporting her children between Caves Beach and Sydney for sport.

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

The revelations came just hours after Minns warned cabinet ministers that using taxpayer-funded drivers for personal trips was “unacceptable” and “cannot happen again.”

Minns said he would be “extremely concerned” if further incidents were uncovered but added that Haylen had assured him there were no other cases of private use.

“Clearly, that’s a major concern. I’ll be looking into it,” he told 2GB.

“Of course, if there’s information like that, or you can give it to me, I will make inquiries, and I can say that would be a major concern for me.”

Minister for Mental Health Rose Jackson. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki Short

Minns defended Haylen’s use of a ministerial driver for a weekend sports run, arguing that she was heading to work afterwards.

“I did quiz Jo about the revelations in the media yesterday afternoon, spoke to her directly, and I said, ‘Look, there’s been specific charges, firstly about taking children to sport on the weekends using the ministerial driver.’

She said to me, ‘Absolutely, that happened.’ But straight after that, she was into work, and then it was a work day following that.”

Shadow Attorney-General Alister Henskens also slammed Haylen’s lack of transparency, saying her refusal to fully disclose her use of ministerial drivers was unacceptable.

“The idea that the Minister is unprepared to be transparent with the public about her use of a taxpayer-funded resource is incredible,” he also said on 2GB.

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Originally published as Minns Calls Haylen’s winery trip a ‘big black mark’ as NSW tightens ministerial driver rules