In a shocking turn of events, Jo Haylen, the Transport Minister of New South Wales, Australia, has resigned following a scandal involving the misuse of her official government car for personal business. The controversial 446 km trip, which cost taxpayers a staggering $750, raised eyebrows and led to Haylen issuing a public apology.
After the backlash, the anticipated resignation finally came – but what’s next for Haylen and the New South Wales government?
The minister traveled 446 kilometers in the government vehicle to attend a private event. After realizing the mistake, she apologized for keeping the car in use for 13 hours.
After facing backlash, Haylen apologized and announced she would pay the $750 cost incurred for the 446-kilometer journey. Additionally, she would make extra payments to the driver and other relevant parties. However, the 'scandal' did not end there. State Premier Chris Minns called the behavior 'unacceptable.' The opposition called for Haylen to resign, or if she did not, to be removed from office.
'I didn’t break the rules, but I accept that the issue here is not just that. I disappointed the public, and I am truly sorry for that. We were elected to be better than the previous government.'
During a press conference, she admitted to using the official vehicle for personal trips twice last year and apologized again: 'My mistakes are now harming the government. Politics is tough. Expectations are high. I am aware of that.'