Western Australia Treasurer Buswell Resigns After Breakdown

Western Australia Treasurer Troy Buswell has resigned from Cabinet following a breakdown, two months before he was due to deliver the state budget.

Buswell is still receiving medical treatment after more than a week in hospital, state Premier Colin Barnett told reporters today. Barnett confirmed media reports that Buswell had crashed a ministerial car into a gate last month and had been emotional and upset.

Hes had a breakdown, hes been hospitalized for about 10 days, Barnett said. Hes facing up to reality.

As Treasurer, Buswell was spearheading the states attempt to regain a AAA credit rating after it was cut one level by Standard & Poors in September. The state government said in December it expected an operating surplus of A$437 million ($395 million) in 2013-14, about a A$50 million improvement on the surplus forecast in August.

Buswell lost the leadership of the state Liberal Party in 2008 after he admitted sniffing a female staffers chair in Parliament House. He stepped down from the front bench in 2010 after an affair with a lawmaker in the Greens Party.

Barnett said he would be sworn in as acting treasurer and intended to appoint a replacement this week.

To contact the reporter on this story: Edward Johnson in Sydney at ejohnson28@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Edward Johnson at ejohnson28@bloomberg.net Malcolm Scott

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Western Australia Treasurer Buswell Resigns After Breakdown