Mike Baird proudly declares "This state will never be the same again" ("Live: NSW Premier Mike Baird retires from politics", smh.com.au, January 19). I agree but for different reasons. Baird lists his achievements as economic management, investment in health and education, the poles and wires leasing, infrastructure and growth, the environment, investment in social housing and integrity measures. But public outcry , on many platforms, has been consistent and widespread - from Randwick to Orange. So let's be honest and rephrase the above measures in a different light - economic growth benefiting developers and investors while housing affordability deteriorates; selling off vital public assets for sports stadiums; drastic cuts to TAFE; lack of transparency in costing works and dealing with private enterprise; Westconnex; destruction of heritage tress and houses; forced and unfair property acquisitions; forced council amalgamations; selling off and destruction of landmark heritage buildings in the city; mass forced evictions of social housing tenants; regressive amendments to native vegetation laws and rights to protest, and the attack on ICAC. Baird's exit leaves this state all the poorer for his undemocratic and bullying reign.
Marie Healy Hurlstone Park
One can only wish Mike Baird and his family well. The Premier has presented a human face for conservatism amidst too many ugly visages. TS Eliot wrote, "The last temptation is the greatest treason: to do the right deed for the wrong reason." While this might apply to some other politicians and, though the Premier has experienced falling polls and internal party dissent, it is not hard to believe that in retiring for profoundly distressing family reasons Mike Baird is doing the right thing for the right reason.
Ron Sinclair Bathurst
Now that Mike Baird is to leave political life he will presumably ply his trade in the business sector. It will be interesting to see who offers him a seat on their Board.
Terry O'Brien Randwick
A prudent and timely decision on Mike Baird's part. Hopefully Health Minister Judith Skinner and Roads Minister Duncan Gay will soon follow his example.
John de Bres Rose Bay
Bye bye Bairdy .... and very best of luck for life after politics. You obviously meant well and tried hard for NSW.
Peter Bower Naremburn
Mike Baird has done a Bob Carr, leaving when he chooses to go. But who will clean up the mess left behind? Deja vu ?
John Lo Bexley North
Packer must be inconsolable.
George Manojlovic Mangerton
One banker gone. One to go.
Tony Re Georges Hall
Whatever critics have to say about Mike Baird; no one can take away his decency, integrity, commitment and service to NSW. He will be remembered as one of the top Premiers of NSW in history. Although he tried to implement greyhound ban, he probably had no idea of shock jocks power and ended up giving in. He was the first Premier to ask federal government to increase quota for Syrian refugees. Baird certainly puts lots of career politicians to shame with his resignation. He could have continued for a long time, but decided to go when he's on top. There's a message for Tony Abbott and some others in his resignation and it's a sad day for NSW politics.
Mukul Desai Hunters Hill
Mike Baird - lapped by the greyhounds, segregated by council mergers, and locked out by the alcohol lobby ("'This state will never be the same': Baird speaks after shock retirement", smh.com.au, January 19).
Peter Lloyd Mount Colah
Mike Baird, what a disappointment. You can't turn your back and walk away yet, stay and face the consequences.
Your infrastructure boom is an unfinished, tangled and chaotic mess. At this stage it has only destroyed thousands of beautiful urban trees and mowed down historic neighbourhoods. Stay to see whether it was worth it.
You have dismantled biodiversity laws across the state, without waiting around to see how many species you have moved closer towards extinction. You have opened up our Crown Lands, the land that should belong to us all, so private business interests can make quick dollars out of it.
Until today we could at least admire your audacity, now we can just regret that your courage doesn't match your ideological zeal.
Sharyn Cullis Oatley
To an outsider, Mike Baird appears to be a fundamentally decent man who found it difficult to compromise his principles. This might have been why ten years in politics was all he could stomach.
Mike Reddy Vincentia
With Baird's resignation, should come immediate notice that all considerations of transfer or changes to our government offices or state laws or regulations, should remain unchanged until further notice. Primary in the stay in the list of changes must be the land titles system.
There will be another bottle of Grange involved at the end of this fiasco, even if I have to drink it myself, in celebration.
Graham Harris East Ballina
People often complain about politicians.
Mike Baird backed down from efforts to ban the cruelty of the greyhound industry. But no one else has ever even tried to address this callous and murderous industry. Mike Baird angered many in the inner west over plans for major road infrastructure. But others were too afraid of such inevitable anger to even try and complete Sydney's major road linkages that will set Sydney up for long term, large scale accessibility.
Mike Baird angered many when he took on the intensely anti-social violence and corruption of the drinking industry and demanded better behaviour from patrons. But no one else even tried to address that social cancer.
So as he retires from politics I salute him. For trying. For succeeding in some but not all endeavours. And for enduring the slings and arrows. We have been lucky to have you Mike Baird. Thank you.
Simeon Glasson Elizabeth Bay
Baird arranges his own exit strategy to avoid the growing collective wrath of the people of NSW at the next election. Who would have thought?
Peter Morris Darlinghurst
Finally, Mike Baird has acted in the interests of New South Wales.
Howard Charles Glebe
Surf's up!
John Swanton Botany