The Sauce: AG accuses predecessor of leaving him without ceremonial robes

Attorney-General Michael Daley has accused Opposition leader Mark Speakman of not leaving him any ceremonial robes after he left as AG.

NSW Attorney-General Michael Daley has accused Opposition leader Mark Speakman of not leaving him any ceremonial robes after he left as AG. Picture: NewsWire/Nikki Short

Attorney-General Michael Daley has accused Opposition leader Mark Speakman of not leaving him any ceremonial robes after he left as AG.

That’s the explanation Daley’s office gave us when we asked why he had spent more than $900 on “clothing uniforms” as revealed in documents released under freedom of information to state Opposition “waste watch” spokesman Matt Cross.

Cross had FOI’d ministerial expenses earlier this year – which revealed how much ministers had spent on taxis, office rent, cars and catering last financial year.

Opposition leader Mark Speakman. Picture: NewsWire/Max Mason-Hubers

Opposition “waste watch” spokesman Matt Cross. Picture: Matrixnews

However, the documents showed a mysterious “other” column with further expenses, which Cross promptly also FOI’d.

Those documents revealed a bunch of miscellaneous expenses totalling $526,923.

More than $150,000 went on telephones, with Premier Chris Minns’ office spending $17,827 on rental and call costs.

There was almost $150,000 spent on newspapers and magazines and more than $78,000 on IT.

But it was Daley’s clothing expense that had us intrigued.

Daley’s office explained how as the “leader of the Bar”, he was required to wear ceremonial clothing at formal swearing in ceremonies for judges and other significant court appointments.

However, when Daley took over the role from Speako as AG, there were no robes.

This is because Speako had his own robes and took them with him when he left.

A spokesperson for Speako said he passed on a variety of items to Daley, including a wig “and its original tin”.

“ The legal gown and jacket, worn for six years, were tailored to Mr Speakman’s individual size and were not passed on,” he said

STEAMY POLLIE LOVE TRIANGLE

It is a love triangle involving a former politician, his wife and another woman that has those in the know intrigued.

While the ex-pollie claims there is nothing to see, the “other woman” appears not to be taking the hint.

Insiders claim the wife has received messages from the woman, who allegedly claims the relationship is very much ongoing. However, we hear the ex-pollie has told his wife he wants to save the marriage.

The Sauce’s sources are watching closely.

JOB HOLES

It has been six months since ex-Spotlight producer Steve Jackson had to leave his job as the executive director of the NSW Police public affairs branch – and yet still no-one has been hired.

You would think with a $300,000-plus salary, there’d be a queue of applicants – but apparently not.

Steve Jackson.

But it’s not the only high-profile job in the Minns government that remains unfilled. A new prison commissioner has also not been chosen despite The Sauce last month revealing some of the names on a “long list” of candidates, which apparently led to angry calls for an internal investigation as to the source of the “leak”.

We hear the recruitment process has been caught up in the recent “machinery of government” changes.

The $360,000-plus job became vacant after Kevin Corcoran went on leave – and eventually quit – after giving evidence at an inquiry into a serial rapist guard at a women’s prison.

If none of those are your cup of tea, there’s also a nice-little earner going at Greyhound Racing NSW following the resignation of chief executive Robert Macaulay.

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Originally published as The Sauce: AG accuses predecessor of leaving him without ceremonial robes