WORLD> Asia-Pacific
Political turmoil in Australian state
(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-09-05 17:29

SYDNEY, Australia -- The leader of New South Wales, Australia's most populous state, abruptly quit on Friday and was replaced by a former garbage collector who has been a lawmaker for just 18 months.

New South Wales Premier Morris Iemma poses for photographers in Sydney in this August 20, 2008 file photo. Iemma, the leader of Australia's most populous state of New South Wales, quit on Friday after losing support from his centre-left government in the wake of a botched power sell-off. Picture taken August 20, 2008. [Agencies]

Morris Iemma resigned as premier of New South Wales, home to 7 million people and Australia's largest city, Sydney, shortly after his state Labor colleagues rejected his attempt to overhaul his Cabinet.

Nathan Rees, 39, a former greenskeeper and garbage collector who was elected to the state parliament in March 2007, was voted in by Labor Party legislators as Iemma's successor.

The turmoil in New South Wales does not have an immediate effect on the Labor federal government of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, though it could signal broader problems for the party that rules both nationally and in all states and territories.

One test will come Saturday, when voters will choose a new government in the Outback state of Western Australia in an election analysts say will be close.