Melinda Pavey rocked by Covid news, and demotion from Ministry

A vastly experienced politician says “there is outrage across the countryside” after being blindsided by a demotion from Premier Dom Perrottet’s cabinet.

Outgoing NSW Water, Property and Housing Minister, Melinda Pavey, speaks during Question Time at NSW Parliament House in Sydney. Picture: Bianca De Marchi

Shell-shocked Nationals matriarch Melinda Pavey was blindsided by a decision to oust her from Cabinet - and the news came mere hours after she learned her son had contracted Covid.

The Dominic Perrottet-Paul Toole state government reshuffle announcement at the weekend surprisingly claimed the scalp of Mrs Pavey, the party’s longest serving MP in Australia.

The Member for Oxley on the NSW Mid-North Coast had been widely acclaimed for her work, particularly in the roads and water portfolios.

“There is outrage across the countryside,” Mrs Pavey said, adding she had taken calls from Nationals heavy-hitters Barnaby Joyce, Michael McCormack and Keith Pitt in the aftermath.

The bell tolled for the veteran at 4.45pm on Saturday when she was told by party leader Mr Toole that the government was “taking a new direction”.

Mrs Pavey said she was baffled by the move, but would “respect the decision of the leader”.

“I’ve had so many delightful, wonderful phone calls from the community and the party’s grassroots,” she said.

News that she would no longer be part of the state’s executive going forward came just hours after her Australian Defence Force son Jack called to let her know he had Covid and might not be home for Christmas.

Jack, 22, is believed to have contracted the disease at Newcastle, where he was on his way home to the Mid-North Coast after his Duntroon graduation.

“Jack called at midday on Saturday - I was at a (party) branch meeting at Macksville,” Mrs Pavey said.

“His news was the worst part.”

Jack will link with the Infantry Division, and Mrs Pavey said her son had been only lightly affected by Covid - though isolation requirements could mean he wouldn’t be able to join his family for Christmas.

“It was just like two or three days with the flu (for Jack),” Mrs Pavey said.

Mrs Pavey was distressed and frustrated that she would no longer have a senior role in the state Government and was rueing the ripple effect for local communities.

“There will now be no Lower House Ministers from the North Coast,” Mrs Pavey said - despite the fact that the area is a Nationals stronghold.

The Member for Oxley - a broad electorate which takes in Kempsey, Nambucca Heads and Wauchope - said she would agitate for the local area in her new role as a parliamentary secretary for the North Coast.