Drivers are informed by a sign that the drink-drive limit has changed in Scotland
Drivers are informed by a sign that the drink-drive limit has changed in Scotland, as they travel on the A9 road near Perth in central Scotland December 5, 2014. Scotland introduced a new law on Friday reducing the legal alcohol limit to 50mg from the rest of Britain's 80mg per 100ml of blood. REUTERS/Russell Cheyne

New South Wales Labor leader Luke Foley admitted that he had been convicted of drink-driving on two occasions. He has apparently made the confession so that the issue does not affect his election campaign.

Foley, who wishes to be the 45th premier of the state, told Daily Telegraph that his license had been suspended for nine months recently in 2007. It was just before the 2007 state election. Foley was going home from a Labor Party fundraiser and blew 0.085 on Parramatta Rd. Foley said that the first time he was convicted of drink-driving was when he was 23. He left a party and blew around 0.07 in Goulburn. At that time, Foley's license was suspended only for a fortnight since the offence was low-range. Foley confessed that he had guilty pleas on both occasions and got convicted. The Labor leader said that he had only one speeding ticket so far. However, he has never been involved in an accident.

According to Foley, he is not proud of the offences he committed. In fact, he is ashamed of what he did, he said. "I never pretended to be a perfect person but I think it's important I'm honest and upfront with people right from the start of my leadership," Foley said, "I don't go to the bar (at parliament), I don't get on the piss, I have learned from my mistakes." Foley said that he did not mix work and alcohol. He said that he had felt the compulsion to let people know everything about himself after he had been given the job. Foley also gave advice to young people that they should not take the risk of drink-driving. If they had a couple of drinks, they should find another way home. Foley remembered that his wife had given him rounds of the kitchen after the 2007 offence. She just gave birth to his child and he realised that he would have to behave responsibly all the time.

Former Labor parliamentary secretary Tony Stewart resigned in 2006 after he had been caught drink-driving. Labor's Craig Knowles was caught drink-driving while he was a minister.

Contact the writer: s.mukhopadhyay@IBTimes.com.au