Overview

• Jo Haylen resigned as NSW Transport Minister after using a government driver for personal outings, including winery visits, which did not breach formal guidelines but violated public expectations.
• The resignation has forced Premier Chris Minns to consider his first major cabinet reshuffle since taking office, with Roads Minister John Graham seen as a potential replacement for Haylen.
• Minns announced updated rules prohibiting the use of ministerial drivers for exclusively private journeys, though some ambiguity remains about what constitutes incidental work-related use.
• Housing Minister Rose Jackson, who was implicated in one of the winery trips, admitted she should have spoken up but defended her actions as being within the guidelines.
• The controversy has sparked broader scrutiny of ministerial driver usage, with past and present politicians reflecting on their practices as public trust in government conduct is tested.