NSW Transport Minister Jo Haylen is once again in the spotlight as her right-hand man heads for the door after a public servant did political work including organising an event for Labor volunteers.
The junior staffer had been involved in circulating coalition "backflips", drafting lines for question time and preparing an event for Labor volunteers celebrating "100 days of a Minns Labor government".
After parliament received documents concerning the conduct, the man who'd parachuted the public servant into Ms Haylen's office tendered his resignation.
Chief-of-staff Scott Gartrell had been due to leave the office at year-end but brought forward his departure amid scrutiny over the departmental liaison officer's work.
Ms Haylen also referred the junior staffer's actions to the transport department for investigation.
It follows opposition claims of "jobs for the boys" over the minister's appointment of a former Labor premier's chief of staff to lead the transport department.
Josh Murray, who also spent 15 years at infrastructure giant Laing O'Rourke, was appointed to the role after receiving the job alert from Mr Gartrell and also unknowingly being bumped up a shortlist by the Haylen staffer.
Mr Gartrell defended his interventions in a parliamentary inquiry while senior public servants said Mr Murray was appointed in a merit-based process.
Opposition transport spokeswoman Natalie Ward welcomed Mr Gartrell's resignation but said Ms Haylen should do the same.
"A minister is responsible for the conduct of staff in their office," she said.
"The buck stops with the minister."
Ms Ward said the transport minister's office requested the junior departmental staffer "specifically, with senior transport executives raising concerns regarding his impartiality".
His secondment was cut short a week after initial media inquiries regarding his duties, she said.
There is no suggestion the transport minister was aware of the public servant's actions.
After becoming aware of a number of documents, Ms Haylen said her office had written to Mr Murray to request the department investigate whether some actions conducted by a department liaison officer in her office were in line with their employment obligations.
"It is clear that the practice of requesting Departmental Liaison Officers from TfNSW (Transport for NSW), whilst not against the rules, has created questions around the role of DLO’s and their relationship with the Ministerial Office," she said.
