Deputy Premier Prue Car accuses National Party of throwing hissy fits over Ben Franklin ICAC threat

The Deputy Premier says the NSW National Party should stop throwing “hissy fits” after a Nationals MP was floated for a lucrative promotion.

Deputy Premier Prue Car has accused the NSW Nationals of throwing “hissy fits” over Nationals MP Ben Franklin potentially taking the role of upper house president on the advice of Premier and friend Chris Minns.

The plum $315,814 job has caused outrage among the Nationals despite party leader Paul Toole and the senior leadership team calling on Mr Franklin not to take the job.

Tensions continued to grow, with The Daily Telegraph revealing the Nationals chairman Andrew Fraser planned on referring the matter to the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC).

Chris Minns has recommended the role of upper house president go to former arts minister Ben Franklin. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

The move has caused controversy within the Nationals. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ Jeremy Piper

When asked whether the matter should be investigated, Ms Car said the corruption watchdog resources shouldn’t be spent on a “hissy fit”.

She said it was up to the Nationals to “fix their internal squabbling and monitor disagreements within their own political party”.

“It’s up to Ben Franklin as to whether he nominates for the position,” she said on Thursday.

“Clearly, this is a pretty vexatious complaint. It’s just the National Party having a hissy fit. It’s a matter for the National Party.

“They cannot be tying up the resources of the ICAC to monitor disagreements within their own party room and the whole of NSW having to watch their endless hissy fit after the election.”

While Mr Franklin would need to be voted in by the upper house, the position would come with a combined salary package of $315,814, about $143,000 more than what Mr Franklin would earn as a private member. However, the job would also prevent him from voting in the upper house, thus increasing Labor’s ability to pass legislation.

Prue Car accused the National Party of throwing a hissy fit. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ Christian Gilles

Ms Car’s comments have led to a war of words between the Labor leadership and Mr Toole.

He said the party had moved “a very strong motion” to ensure no member of the Nationals or Liberal Party took on the role of president or vice-president in the upper house.

“No one for a second believes that Chris is giving us the position of president of the lower house as a favour,” he said.

He said Mr Minns backing a Nationals MP was a “real kick in the guts” for Labor upper house members.

“Obviously, Chris Minns doesn’t have much faith in his own team if he can’t find someone from his own side to take on the role,” he said

“That’s not a great endorsement for a new government saying that your members in the upper house are not worthy of a position like this.”

Nationals Leader Paul Toole has urged Mr Franklin not to nominate himself for the role. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

Mr Toole confirmed both he and the leadership team had asked Mr Franklin to not run for the position to help the Nationals pass legislation in the upper house.

As it stands, Labor holds 15 seats in the Legislative Council, with the Coalition possessing 14 seats and 11 seats held by independents and minor parties.

“Every person on the floor of the parliament is going to be critical to hold the government to account,” Mr Toole said.

“The community is doing it tough right now and they want to know that the opposition is focusing on them and supporting them with everyday things like cost of living.”

Originally published as Deputy Premier Prue Car accuses National Party of throwing hissy fits over Ben Franklin ICAC threat