Resignation of Rodd Staples, Secretary of Transport for NSW

[Transtopic]

The Secretary of Transport for NSW, Rodd Staples, has unexpectedly resigned without explanation. He has been the driving force behind Sydney's metro expansion since the days of the Iemma Labor government. I wonder what's going on there?

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/nsw ... 56fug.html

[eddy]

With a bit of luck the tranport minister will be calling the shots now and we may get Parrahub built with a Maglev to Canberra.

[Transtopic]

With a bit of luck the tranport minister will be calling the shots now and we may get Parrahub built with a Maglev to Canberra.

And pigs might fly.

[boronia]

Something to do with a block of land at Camelia?

[captainch]

the HEAD of transport NSW was sacked 2 days ago over the land deal at camelia and he also had a few run in with minister constance ............But would not the minister have to sign off on the land deals after all he is in charge and glady's WOULD HAVE TO HAVE APPROVED IT AS WELL.

[boronia]

Would probably have gone through some Cabinet finance committee, which probably just rubber-stamped the deal without looking too deeply. Like the fed's stuff-up at Badgery's Creek.

[grog]

Wait - didn’t SMH say that Rodd Staples was at Sydney Metro when that land deal happened? And didn’t become secretary until 2 years later?

[boronia]

The Herald also says he resigned, not sacked. So we don't know the full story, and political/transport reporters in media are often way off the mark with facts.

[Transtopic]

The Herald also says he resigned, not sacked. So we don't know the full story, and political/transport reporters in media are often way off the mark with facts.

Constance said that Staples resignation was "separate to the issues" with regard to the Camellia land sale, which happened under his predecessor Tim Reardon's watch. I suspect that Staples was offered the choice of resigning or be sacked. Must be over some major stuff-up as both Staples and the government have been very silent on what brought this about. Not the usual excuse to spend more time with his family. Any bets on his successor - Howard Collins perhaps?

[Transtopic]

It's now been disclosed that Rodd Staples actually had his contract as Secretary of TfNSW terminated, after his return from sick leave, by Tim Reardon, his predecessor, now Secretary of the Department of Premier and Cabinet. He will continue in the role until February 2021 when his as yet unnamed replacement will take over.

This raises several issues, as Reardon was actually in charge of TfNSW when the Camellia land sale was approved. It doesn't appear that Staples had any role in this, as he was the CEO of Sydney Metro at the time, although he did preside over a subsequent investigation of the sale. As far as I'm aware, the Camellia site had nothing to do with Metro West, but was related to the Parramatta light rail project. The plot thickens.

[1whoknows]

Well that seems to confirm the statement by Constance that Staples departure and referring Camellia to ICAC etc were not related.

[Swift]

I'm not a big fan of Rodd Staples and his ilk but don't see him doing something as monumentally crazy as that land transaction.

[Transtopic]

Andrew Constance has named the current Deputy Secretary of TfNSW Peter Reagan as Acting Secretary to replace Rodd Staples who leaves in February and current Chief Operating Officer Howard Collins as Acting Deputy Secretary.