Mr Kelly is expected to be promoted to Ms Keneally's old portfolio of planning minister as reward for helping Ms Keneally become Premier a few weeks after Mr Rees dumped him to the lowest spot in cabinet - Lands Minister - for alleged disloyalty.

Government sources said Mr Macdonald, an ally of the powerbroker Eddie Obeid who was dumped from cabinet by Mr Rees three weeks ago, would get his wish list of primary industries, state development and regional development.

Ms Keneally was last night set to offer her leadership rival Frank Sartor the portfolios of environment and the arts, sources said.

John Della Bosca, who resigned over an affair three months ago and has been keen to return to the public fold, missed out on a cabinet spot.

Apart from the reshuffle, it has emerged that controversial Labor lobbyist Graham Richardson, who loomed large in Ms Keneally's time in Planning, was advising party figures during the recent leadership stoush.

But sources indicated Mr Richardson might have recommended sticking with Mr Rees before moving his support to a push for Carmel Tebbutt before finally switching to Ms Keneally. One source said that Mr Richardson was pushing anyone but Mr Sartor.

When Mr Richardson was asked if he had spoken to Mr Obeid or Joe Tripodi during the week, he said: ''I spoke to everybody last week''. But he insisted he had nothing to do with the dumping of Mr Rees or the elevation of Ms Keneally. ''No matter how hard the [Sydney Morning] Herald tries, I wasn't involved in the change of leadership,'' he said.

Meanwhile, the Treasurer, Eric Roozendaal, a former Labor general secretary, has emerged as a kingmaker and another who could be accused of being a puppet master of the Government.

He is also being seen as a bridge between Mr Obeid, Mr Tripodi and Labor's head office to stop things falling apart in the NSW Right.