Frank Sartor
Encyclopedia
Francesco Ernest 'Frank' Sartor JP
(born 9 November 1951) a former Australia
n politician, was New South Wales
Minister for Climate Change and the Environment and Minister Assisting the Minister for Health (Cancer) between 2009 and 2011. He was a Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
representing Rockdale
for the Australian Labor Party
between 2003 and 2011
. Sartor has previously been Minister for Planning, Redfern Waterloo and the Arts, and Minister for Water and Utilities in the Iemma
and Carr
governments. Before being elected to the New South Wales Parliament, Sartor was the longest-serving Lord Mayor of Sydney, having held the post for nearly 12 years from September 1991 to March 2003. Sartor retired from politics at the 2011 state election
.
near Griffith
, New South Wales
. His migrant parents named him Francesco Ernest Sartor, but he decided life would be easier if he called himself Frank. He attended St Therese's (Catholic
) Primary School, Yenda
, followed by Griffith
High School
. His mother died of melanoma
when Sartor was 16.
He attended the University of Sydney
, residing at St John's College
and graduating with a degree in chemical engineering
, and a later qualification in accounting. From 1976-1983 he was employed as a chemical engineer and in management roles by Colgate-Palmolive
and oil
company Total
Australia Ltd.
from 1984 to 2003, and was Lord Mayor of Sydney for almost 12 years, from September 1991 to March 2003. During his time on the council he served as Vice-President of the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games
, Chairman of the Sydney Festival
, Chairman of the Central Sydney Planning Committee, and Board Member of the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority
.
During his tenure as Lord Mayor, unfounded claims were made in an effort to discredit Sartor, in relation to alleged sexual harassment, by Liberal
politician, John Hannaford
. These accusations were unfounded and never supported with any evidence, and were never raised in a court of law nor raised by Hannaford outside the protection of parliamentary privilege
. Hannaford subsequently failed to provide any evidence to support his allegations, and was in turn investigated by the NSW Parliament for abuse of parliamentary privilege.
Upon the departure of Sartor as Mayor, he was succeeded by Deputy Mayor, Lucy Turnbull
, who served the remainder of the term between 2003 and 2004. Turnbull did not seek election by popular vote.
Labor Party
and entered parliament after successfully contesting the safe Labor seat of Rockdale at the 2003 State election
and was subsequently sworn in as Minister for Energy and Water Utilities, Minister Assisting the Minister for Health (Cancer) and Minister for Science and Medical Research
.
in 2003 and the introduction of smoking bans in NSW pubs and clubs in 2004, reforms he would later describe as among his proudest achievements. Many of these achievements were driven by personal tragedy and loss of his former partner, Hephzibah Tintner, and his mother, to cancer. In his final speech to parliament, Sartor broke down when talking about their loss, and how it influenced his political career. In his time as a Minister in all of his various portfolios, Sartor became known for his blunt and often crude language, but also his drive to improve cancer survival rates. However his smoking bans drew vehement criticism from publicans who argued they would harm profitability, and from anti-cancer groups which said they did not go far enough. In announcing his resignation, NSW Premier Kristina Keneally
paid tribute to Mr Sartor’s work as Australia’s first cancer minister. As Minister Assisting the Minister for Health (Cancer) he oversaw restrictions on the retailing of cigarettes in NSW, including forcing them to be kept under the counter.
appointed Sartor as the first Minister for Redfern Waterloo overseeing the Redfern Waterloo Authority and exercising planning powers over an area of inner western Sydney. In this role he invoked the ire of the Redfern
indigenous
population with his rejection of a plan by the Aboriginal Housing Company to redevelop "The Block
" and for suggesting on Koori Radio
that the Company's chairman, Mick Mundine should "Get off your backside ... and bring your black arse in here to talk about it." Sartor later apologised for this remark. The creation of the Redfern Waterloo portfolio was greeted with some cynicism given the long history of similar attepts to rejuvenate the area. Despite this, the Authority was able to deliver urban renewal projects for a number of derelict sites including the former Redfern Public School and a substantial redevelopment of the Australian Technology Park
to incorporate headquarters for the Sydney television station Channel Seven
. As part of Sartor's broader reforms in the area, the Australian Technology Park was established, and due to the reforms established by Mr Sartor, the NSW Government is able to continue active investigations into better use of disused land in the inner-west, such as the former Eveleigh railway workshops and disused industrial land.
as Premier in late 2005, Sartor relinquished the Energy and Water portfolios and was sworn in as Minister for Planning. His administration was marked by a series of planning reforms to reduce the concurrence and consultation processes required for major developments in NSW. In a column
in the Sydney Morning Herald, journalist
and former City of Sydney
Councillor
Elizabeth Farrelly
was scathing of Sartor for his support for advertising billboards
along NSW roadways, his approval of the Anvil Hill Coal Mine
, and for his moves to reduce the planning powers of local government
.
Sartor was re-elected as Member for Rockdale at the 2007 State election with a slightly reduced majority, and was sworn in as Minister for Planning, Minister for Redfern Waterloo and Minister for the Arts.
In 2008 the NSW Greens demanded a Royal Commission
into alleged links between Sartor's planning approvals and Labor Party donations by major developers. Sartor denied his planning decisions had been influenced by developer donations and threatened legal action against media outlets which repeated the claims. In 2009, Sartor was damaged by a Land and Environment Court judgment that described a decision he made to allow development at Catherine Hill Bay by a political donor, Rose Group, in exchange for conservation land as being influenced by a "land bribe". On announcing his resignation, Sartor described his time as planning minister as the most difficult of his career.
On 7 September 2008 Frank Sartor was defeated in a ballot for ministerial positions and returned to the backbench with reports of internal polling by Labor revealling that Sartor was one of the government's most unpopular ministers.
stood down as Leader of NSW Labor. Sartor contested a Labor right faction
ballot and narrowly lost the ballot to Kristina Keneally, who was then made Premier. Keneally returned Sartor to the NSW Cabinet; appointed to the role of Minister for Climate Change and the Environment. He was also returned to his old role of Minister Assisting the Minister for Health (Cancer), an area of personal interest and commitment.
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
(born 9 November 1951) a former Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician, was New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
Minister for Climate Change and the Environment and Minister Assisting the Minister for Health (Cancer) between 2009 and 2011. He was a Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
representing Rockdale
Electoral district of Rockdale
Rockdale is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by John Flowers of the Liberal Party of Australia.-History:...
for the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
between 2003 and 2011
New South Wales state election, 2011
Elections to the 55th Parliament of New South Wales were held on Saturday, 26 March 2011. The 16-year incumbent Australian Labor Party government led by Premier Kristina Keneally was defeated in a landslide by the Liberal-National coalition opposition led by Barry O'Farrell.New South Wales has...
. Sartor has previously been Minister for Planning, Redfern Waterloo and the Arts, and Minister for Water and Utilities in the Iemma
Morris Iemma
Morris Iemma , is a former Australian politician and 40th Premier of New South Wales, succeeding Bob Carr after he resigned on 3 August 2005. Iemma led the Australian Labor Party to victory in the 2007 election before resigning as Premier on 5 September 2008, and as a Member of Parliament on 19...
and Carr
Bob Carr
Robert John "Bob" Carr , Australian statesman, was Premier of New South Wales from 4 April 1995 to 3 August 2005. He holds the record for the longest continuous service as premier of NSW...
governments. Before being elected to the New South Wales Parliament, Sartor was the longest-serving Lord Mayor of Sydney, having held the post for nearly 12 years from September 1991 to March 2003. Sartor retired from politics at the 2011 state election
New South Wales state election, 2011
Elections to the 55th Parliament of New South Wales were held on Saturday, 26 March 2011. The 16-year incumbent Australian Labor Party government led by Premier Kristina Keneally was defeated in a landslide by the Liberal-National coalition opposition led by Barry O'Farrell.New South Wales has...
.
Early life
Sartor was born in YendaYenda, New South Wales
Yenda is a town in the Riverina district of New South Wales, Australia. The town is located about 16km east of Griffith, 45 kilometres north of Narrandera, and 450km west of Sydney in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area of Southern NSW...
near Griffith
Griffith, New South Wales
Griffith is a city in south-western New South Wales, Australia. It is also the seat of the City of Griffith local government area. Like the Australian capital, Canberra and the nearby town of Leeton, Griffith was designed by Walter Burley Griffin. Griffith was named after Sir Arthur Griffith the...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. His migrant parents named him Francesco Ernest Sartor, but he decided life would be easier if he called himself Frank. He attended St Therese's (Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
) Primary School, Yenda
Yenda, New South Wales
Yenda is a town in the Riverina district of New South Wales, Australia. The town is located about 16km east of Griffith, 45 kilometres north of Narrandera, and 450km west of Sydney in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area of Southern NSW...
, followed by Griffith
Griffith, New South Wales
Griffith is a city in south-western New South Wales, Australia. It is also the seat of the City of Griffith local government area. Like the Australian capital, Canberra and the nearby town of Leeton, Griffith was designed by Walter Burley Griffin. Griffith was named after Sir Arthur Griffith the...
High School
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
. His mother died of melanoma
Melanoma
Melanoma is a malignant tumor of melanocytes. Melanocytes are cells that produce the dark pigment, melanin, which is responsible for the color of skin. They predominantly occur in skin, but are also found in other parts of the body, including the bowel and the eye...
when Sartor was 16.
He attended the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
, residing at St John's College
St John's College, University of Sydney
]St John's College, or the College of St John the Evangelist, is a residential College within the University of Sydney.Established in 1857, the College of St John the Evangelist is the oldest Roman Catholic university college and second-oldest university college in Australia, and is one of the...
and graduating with a degree in chemical engineering
Chemical engineering
Chemical engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with physical science , and life sciences with mathematics and economics, to the process of converting raw materials or chemicals into more useful or valuable forms...
, and a later qualification in accounting. From 1976-1983 he was employed as a chemical engineer and in management roles by Colgate-Palmolive
Colgate-Palmolive
Colgate-Palmolive Company is an American diversified multinational corporation focused on the production, distribution and provision of household, health care and personal products, such as soaps, detergents, and oral hygiene products . Under its "Hill's" brand, it is also a manufacturer of...
and oil
Oil
An oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and does not mix with water but may mix with other oils and organic solvents. This general definition includes vegetable oils, volatile essential oils, petrochemical oils, and synthetic oils....
company Total
Total S.A.
Total S.A. is a French multinational oil company and one of the six "Supermajor" oil companies in the world.Its businesses cover the entire oil and gas chain, from crude oil and natural gas exploration and production to power generation, transportation, refining, petroleum product marketing, and...
Australia Ltd.
Local government
Sartor served on the Council of the City of SydneyCity of Sydney
The City of Sydney is the Local Government Area covering the Sydney central business district and surrounding inner city suburbs of the greater metropolitan area of Sydney, Australia...
from 1984 to 2003, and was Lord Mayor of Sydney for almost 12 years, from September 1991 to March 2003. During his time on the council he served as Vice-President of the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
, Chairman of the Sydney Festival
Sydney Festival
Sydney Festival is Australia's largest and most attended annual cultural event running every January since it was first held in 1977. Its program features around 80 events including contemporary and classical music, dance, circus, drama, visual arts and artist talks...
, Chairman of the Central Sydney Planning Committee, and Board Member of the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority
Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority
The Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority is a statutory authority set up by the Government of New South Wales in order to maintain the Port Jackson foreshore area. It maintains 4 km² of waterfront real estate in the foreshore area including Darling Harbour and The Rocks...
.
During his tenure as Lord Mayor, unfounded claims were made in an effort to discredit Sartor, in relation to alleged sexual harassment, by Liberal
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
politician, John Hannaford
John Hannaford
John Planta Hannaford is a former Australian politician. Born in Goulburn, the son of William Henry Planta and Amy Frances Hannaford, he became a lawyer, having studied at the Australian National University in Canberra. He commenced legal articles in 1971...
. These accusations were unfounded and never supported with any evidence, and were never raised in a court of law nor raised by Hannaford outside the protection of parliamentary privilege
Parliamentary privilege
Parliamentary privilege is a legal immunity enjoyed by members of certain legislatures, in which legislators are granted protection against civil or criminal liability for actions done or statements made related to one's duties as a legislator. It is common in countries whose constitutions are...
. Hannaford subsequently failed to provide any evidence to support his allegations, and was in turn investigated by the NSW Parliament for abuse of parliamentary privilege.
Upon the departure of Sartor as Mayor, he was succeeded by Deputy Mayor, Lucy Turnbull
Lucy Turnbull
Lucinda Mary "Lucy" Turnbull, née Hughes AO , a former Australian politician and former Lord Mayor of Sydney, is a prominent Australian business leader and company director. Turnbull was the first female Lord Mayor of Sydney, between 2003 and 2004 and was Deputy Lord Mayor, between 1999 and 2003...
, who served the remainder of the term between 2003 and 2004. Turnbull did not seek election by popular vote.
New South Wales politics
In 2003, Sartor joined the NSWNew South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
and entered parliament after successfully contesting the safe Labor seat of Rockdale at the 2003 State election
New South Wales state election, 2003
Elections to the 53rd Parliament of New South Wales were held on Saturday 22 March 2003. All seats in the Legislative Assembly and half the seats in the Legislative Council were up for election...
and was subsequently sworn in as Minister for Energy and Water Utilities, Minister Assisting the Minister for Health (Cancer) and Minister for Science and Medical Research
Minister for Medical Research (New South Wales)
The New South Wales Minister for Medical Research has responsibilities for sponsoring and supporting scientific and medical research.The current Minister for Medical Research is Jillian Skinner. She administers her portfolio through the Department of Health....
.
Anti-cancer reforms
As Assistant Health Minister, Sartor was responsible for the formation of the Cancer Institute NSWCancer Institute of New South Wales
The Cancer Institute of New South Wales was established in July 2003 by the New South Wales state government through the Cancer Institute NSW Act 2003...
in 2003 and the introduction of smoking bans in NSW pubs and clubs in 2004, reforms he would later describe as among his proudest achievements. Many of these achievements were driven by personal tragedy and loss of his former partner, Hephzibah Tintner, and his mother, to cancer. In his final speech to parliament, Sartor broke down when talking about their loss, and how it influenced his political career. In his time as a Minister in all of his various portfolios, Sartor became known for his blunt and often crude language, but also his drive to improve cancer survival rates. However his smoking bans drew vehement criticism from publicans who argued they would harm profitability, and from anti-cancer groups which said they did not go far enough. In announcing his resignation, NSW Premier Kristina Keneally
Kristina Keneally
Kristina Kerscher Keneally MP, is an Australian politician and was the 42nd Premier of New South Wales. She was elected leader of the Australian Labor Party in New South Wales and thus Premier in 2009, but went on to lose government to the Liberal/National Coalition at the March 2011 state election...
paid tribute to Mr Sartor’s work as Australia’s first cancer minister. As Minister Assisting the Minister for Health (Cancer) he oversaw restrictions on the retailing of cigarettes in NSW, including forcing them to be kept under the counter.
Water Utilities
As Minister for Water Utilities, Sartor introduced a number of sweeping changes to the water supply system, and championed water conservation, recycling and innovation in Sydney, the Illawarra and the Blue Mountains. Sartor's changes in water and energy included: oversighting the introduction of an energy and water sustainability index for new homes; implementing a government energy and water savings fund to support innovative ideas to reduce water and energy consumption; encouraging the uptake of water conservation rebates, household devices and rainwater tanks; and requiring all local councils in the Sydney metropolitan area to develop water savings plans. Sartor also oversaw the development of water infrastructure projects - including large recycling projects in Sydney. He also released the Metropolitan Water Plan which first envisaged the potential for a desalination plant to supplement Sydney's water supplies. After Sartor left the Water portfolio and became Planning Minister, despite an extremely vocal anti-desalination campaign in Kurnell during the 2007 State election, the government was returned. Desalination was Labor policy established by Sartor, whereas Opposition Liberal policy advocated the human consumption of recycled sewage. Sartor and the NSW Government rejected and ruled out human consumption of recycled effluent in Sydney.Redfern Waterloo
In 2005 Premier Bob CarrBob Carr
Robert John "Bob" Carr , Australian statesman, was Premier of New South Wales from 4 April 1995 to 3 August 2005. He holds the record for the longest continuous service as premier of NSW...
appointed Sartor as the first Minister for Redfern Waterloo overseeing the Redfern Waterloo Authority and exercising planning powers over an area of inner western Sydney. In this role he invoked the ire of the Redfern
Redfern, New South Wales
Redfern is an inner-city suburb of Sydney. Redfern is 3 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney...
indigenous
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
population with his rejection of a plan by the Aboriginal Housing Company to redevelop "The Block
The Block (Sydney)
The Block is a colloquial but universally applied name given to a block of housing in Redfern Sydney. The block was purchased over a period of 30 years by the Aboriginal Housing Company for use as a project in Aboriginal-managed housing....
" and for suggesting on Koori Radio
Koori Radio
Koori Radio is a community radio station based in Redfern broadcasting to Sydney on a city-wide licence. It is part of the Gadigal Information Service and is the only radio station in Sydney providing full-time broadcasting to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.Koori Radio is the...
that the Company's chairman, Mick Mundine should "Get off your backside ... and bring your black arse in here to talk about it." Sartor later apologised for this remark. The creation of the Redfern Waterloo portfolio was greeted with some cynicism given the long history of similar attepts to rejuvenate the area. Despite this, the Authority was able to deliver urban renewal projects for a number of derelict sites including the former Redfern Public School and a substantial redevelopment of the Australian Technology Park
Australian Technology Park
The Australian Technology Park is a business and technology centre in Eveleigh, an inner-city suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia...
to incorporate headquarters for the Sydney television station Channel Seven
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
. As part of Sartor's broader reforms in the area, the Australian Technology Park was established, and due to the reforms established by Mr Sartor, the NSW Government is able to continue active investigations into better use of disused land in the inner-west, such as the former Eveleigh railway workshops and disused industrial land.
Minister for Planning
Upon the appointment of Morris IemmaMorris Iemma
Morris Iemma , is a former Australian politician and 40th Premier of New South Wales, succeeding Bob Carr after he resigned on 3 August 2005. Iemma led the Australian Labor Party to victory in the 2007 election before resigning as Premier on 5 September 2008, and as a Member of Parliament on 19...
as Premier in late 2005, Sartor relinquished the Energy and Water portfolios and was sworn in as Minister for Planning. His administration was marked by a series of planning reforms to reduce the concurrence and consultation processes required for major developments in NSW. In a column
Column (newspaper)
A column is a recurring piece or article in a newspaper, magazine or other publication. Columns are written by columnists.What differentiates a column from other forms of journalism is that it meets each of the following criteria:...
in the Sydney Morning Herald, journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and former City of Sydney
City of Sydney
The City of Sydney is the Local Government Area covering the Sydney central business district and surrounding inner city suburbs of the greater metropolitan area of Sydney, Australia...
Councillor
Councillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
Elizabeth Farrelly
Elizabeth Farrelly
Elizabeth Margaret Farrelly is a Sydney-based author, architecture critic, essayist, columnist and speaker who contributes tocurrent debates about aesthetics, design, public art, architecture and urban environments...
was scathing of Sartor for his support for advertising billboards
Billboard (advertising)
A billboard is a large outdoor advertising structure , typically found in high traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertisements to passing pedestrians and drivers...
along NSW roadways, his approval of the Anvil Hill Coal Mine
Anvil Hill Coal Mine
The Anvil Hill Coal Mine is proposed for the upper Hunter Valley in New South Wales. There is strong support for and against the coal mine within the Hunter Valley and other areas....
, and for his moves to reduce the planning powers of local government
Local government in Australia
Local government in Australia is the third tier of government, administered by the states and territories which in turn are beneath the Commonwealth or federal tier. Unlike New Zealand, the US or the UK, there is only one level of local government in all states, with no distinction such as...
.
Sartor was re-elected as Member for Rockdale at the 2007 State election with a slightly reduced majority, and was sworn in as Minister for Planning, Minister for Redfern Waterloo and Minister for the Arts.
In 2008 the NSW Greens demanded a Royal Commission
Royal Commission
In Commonwealth realms and other monarchies a Royal Commission is a major ad-hoc formal public inquiry into a defined issue. They have been held in various countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia...
into alleged links between Sartor's planning approvals and Labor Party donations by major developers. Sartor denied his planning decisions had been influenced by developer donations and threatened legal action against media outlets which repeated the claims. In 2009, Sartor was damaged by a Land and Environment Court judgment that described a decision he made to allow development at Catherine Hill Bay by a political donor, Rose Group, in exchange for conservation land as being influenced by a "land bribe". On announcing his resignation, Sartor described his time as planning minister as the most difficult of his career.
On 7 September 2008 Frank Sartor was defeated in a ballot for ministerial positions and returned to the backbench with reports of internal polling by Labor revealling that Sartor was one of the government's most unpopular ministers.
Minister for Climate Change and the Environment
In December 2009, a no confidence motion was passed; and Nathan ReesNathan Rees
Nathan Rees MP, , an Australian politician, was the 41st Premier of New South Wales and parliamentary leader of the New South Wales division of the Australian Labor Party from September 2008 to December 2009...
stood down as Leader of NSW Labor. Sartor contested a Labor right faction
Labor Right
The Labor Right, or Labor Unity in some State branches, or Centre Unity in NSW, is the organised faction of the Australian Labor Party that tends to be more economically liberal and socially conservative than Labor Left....
ballot and narrowly lost the ballot to Kristina Keneally, who was then made Premier. Keneally returned Sartor to the NSW Cabinet; appointed to the role of Minister for Climate Change and the Environment. He was also returned to his old role of Minister Assisting the Minister for Health (Cancer), an area of personal interest and commitment.