NSW Premier Nathan Rees deserves congratulations. The Premier's three big announcements at last weekend's Labor party conference are welcome news. The announcements are sensible and bold. For the first time since treasurer Roozendaal's disastrous mini-budget in November last year, our state government has broken into a gallop, and been pointed the right way around the track, the finish post being the next state election due in March 2011, the prize being better life for NSW residents.

The first major announcement is the resumption of the construction of the south-west rail link. At last the state government has seen the bleedin' obvious: that if the south-west growth centre is to become a city the size of Canberra then it needs a substantial passenger rail service.

The second announcement is the premier's crash-through-or-crash declaration that in future he will decide who sits on the government's front benches, ending the back-door power plays of Labor's factional leaders. Within 24 hours the premier's new power was wielded with the sacking of Joe Tripodi from his role as Minister for Ports and Waterways, with Mr Tripodi beached like the Pasha Bulka onto Macquarie Streets' back benches.

The third announcement is the breath of fresh air this state has been crying out for: the banning of party donations from property developers and the banning of lobbyists from holding public positions. Mr Rees signalled that more is to come in these matters with investigations to be held into whether a cap on all party donations would be viable; and what might be the appropriate limits on lobbyists' access to parliamentarians and public servants.

All around the state on Monday morning, public servants and ministerial staffers breathed deeply from the premier's refreshing announcements, for many had become short of breath of late, exasperated, heavy of heart, as accusations of improper practice and incompetence turned their workplaces sour.

So too Sydney's long suffering commuters breathed refreshingly deep: if the south-west rail link was so easily re-announced -- a few words typed into a conference speech and spoken with honesty and commitment -- then maybe the north-west rail link could be similarly revived. Mr Rees, a card-carrying westie, may well yet become a local hero.

Sulking, but without sympathy, are those in the property industry whose privileged access to decision makers could well be on the wane. Will you weep at their loss?

Phillip O'Neill, Professor and Director, Urban Research Centre, The University of Western Sydney