Yesterday saw a change of leadership in New South Wales - or did it ?
Nathan Rees was voted out of the premiership and replaced by Kristina Keneally, but the real power in this state rests in the hands of two powerful faction chiefs who control every aspect of government policy.
Eddie Obeid and Joe Tripodi head the two factions that make up the Labor party. Who sits in the premier's chair - in fact who gets a seat in the state parliament - is at the discretion of these two men.
Nathan Rees bucked the dictates of Joe Tripodi - and paid the price. He sacked Tripodi from the ministry and within days faced a spill motion - which he lost 43-25.
The rank and file followed the royal edict - and Kristina Keneally got the job with a 47-21 margin.
The power of these two faction lords is immense. They control the money spigot that can be used to " stack branches " with voting members to bring about the results the factions desire, and because they control the preselection of sitting members they can influence the results they desire.
It all boils down to money. A political party lives or dies by the donations it receives to fund elections - and getting re-elected. The faction bosses can deliver results because they control votes - and that's a good reason for those seeking a result to be generous when making political donations.
Kristina Keneally will have the glory of wearing the premier's mantle, but she will be very aware that her hold on power in tenuous - and in the hands of the two Labor power brokers.
She should also be aware of names such as Joan Kirner and Carmen Lawrence. The ALP has a past history of appointing women to the top position of regimes in their last, desperate days - only to see them fail at the ballot box.
At least there seems an exception to that rule - in the form of Anna Bligh in Queensland.
It will depend if the faction bosses give her room to move !
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