By-elections for departing NSW MPS won’t be held until February

By-elections to replace five departing NSW MPs are unlikely to be held until next year – here’s how much we’re paying them until then.

A spate of by-elections to replace up to five outgoing NSW MPs are unlikely to be held until February next year, with the state polls threatening to coincide with preparations for a federal election.

Of the five MPs who have announced their resignation or intention to quit NSW politics for a tilt at federal parliament, none have formally resigned to Speaker Jonathan O’Dea yet.

That means Gladys Berejiklian, Andrew Constance, John Barilaro, Melanie ­Gibbons, and Jodi McKay are all still being paid as local members.

The Daily Telegraph understands that the window for holding by-elections to replace the MPs this year has effectively closed.

Due to the time required to organise the by-elections, it would be all but impossible to hold the polls this year.

The fastest by-election ever conducted by the NSW electoral commission was the recent Upper Hunter poll — held 22 days after the issuing of the writs (and about six weeks after former MP Michael Johnsen resigned).

February is firming as the first possible date for the by-elections to be held, in part because of difficulties with holding a by-election over the summer holidays.

The by-elections could cost the NSW taxpayer upwards of $6 million in total.

Without officially resigning, all five outgoing MPs are still being paid by the taxpayer as local members. Ms Gibbons is earning the salary of a parliamentary secretary.

Former premier Gladys Berejiklian is still making money as a local MP. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

Transport Minister Andrew Constance has also resigned. Picture: Martin Rainer Helmreich

Announcing her resignation as Premier, Ms Berejiklian said she would quit NSW parliament once she had “consulted the electoral commission on appropriate timing for a by-election”. When Mr Barilaro announced he was quitting, he said he’d work with the electoral commission on a by-election date and work as the Monaro MP in the interim.

In his resignation statement, Mr Constance said he’d quit as Bega MP by the end of the year but continue serving his local community while the Liberal Party looked for a ­replacement.

Ms Gibbons has not officially announced her resignation but with the backing of PM Scott Morrison to run for the Liberal Party in Hughes, she is also set to quit.

The timing of former opposition leader Jodi McKay’s exit is not yet decided. Picture: AAP Image

It’s understood Ms McKay wants to tender her resignation in line with the four outgoing government MPs, but doesn’t want to leave Strathfield constituents unrepresented months before by-elections are held.

The federal election is due to be held before the end of May, meaning a spate of state by-elections in February could overlap with preparations for the national poll. Several party sources were concerned about that prospect when contacted by The Daily Telegraph yesterday.

The major parties will also need to preselect candidates to run in the state by-elections. The only preselection finalised so far is Nicholle Overall, who will be the Nationals candidate in Monaro.

Meanwhile, Ms Berejiklian is preparing to front ICAC for a two-day grilling from Thursday as part of a corruption probe into her actions. She has denied wrongdoing.

Mr Barilaro will appear as a witness on Monday.