Paciullo: Rbt Was His Great Triumph

Sydney Morning Herald

Wednesday March 23, 1988

By TRACEY AUBIN

Had Mr George Paciullo been less self-effacing, he may not have had to wait until yesterday to make his bid for the party leadership.

It is a legacy he has had to wear for 12 years since his decision not to vote for himself in a ballot meant that Rex Jackson and not he was elevated to Mr Neville Wran's first Cabinet.

Having built up one of the strongest profiles in Opposition, Mr Paciullo thought he was assured of a Cabinet post and decided to give his vote to his friend Rex Jackson. After a name was drawn from a hat, Jackson won the position.

It was a result which was to significantly affect the Wran Government, as well as Mr Paciullo. He was not given another opportunity until 1983.

This time he will not make the same mistake. His staff have given him a ribbon which he is wearing around his wrist, saying: "Vote One Paciullo."

Despite the Cabinet setback, however, Mr Paciullo has emerged as a politician to be reckoned with.

His great victory as Minister for Police was his handling of the random breath-testing introduction. It was a job few politicians would have wanted, and could have put an end early to his career.

It didn't. Mr Paciullo swayed public opinion to such an extent that RBT has become firmly entrenched in the public mind, and the State's road toll has been significantly reduced as a result.

The RBT was followed by the "Click-Clack" seatbelt advertisements, more police on the beat and crackdowns on vandalism.

George Paciullo said yesterday that he was not too old at 54 to lead his party to victory in 1992. His style is less dynamic than Mr Brereton's but his advantage is that the public has so far believed what he says. In Opposition, few qualities are more valuable.

Given, too, the public's dislike last year for Mr Brereton and his Bicentenary monument-building, Mr Paciullo's dogged approach and his "cops on the beat" mentality augurs well for a party desperately trying to win back its base.

After 17 years in Parliament as Member for Liverpool, Mr Paciullo has more experience both in Government and Opposition than any of his Labor colleagues or Coalition opponents.

He said yesterday that he had achieved a consistently higher approval rating than Mr Greiner in opinion polls.

Mr Paciullo is an astute user of the media. When he was caught in Liverpool floods and had to be airlifted out for a meeting, he used the opportunity to tell the media that he then had an insight into how flood victims felt.

When he was discussing with John Laws a case of a policeman shot on duty who could not receive any legal help, Mr Paciullo promised to pay the costs himself if the department could not be swayed.

Mr Paciullo has been biding his time. Just three months ago, he said he did not particularly want to be Premier.

"I certainly wouldn't want to be Premier over anyone's body," he said at the time. "I don't aim to get somewhere and bowl someone else over because loyalty in this business is absolutely paramount."

However, a telephone call from Mr Barrie Unsworth yesterday morning changed that. He said he has since spoken to a number of key figures over his candidacy, and believes it his turn for the leadership.