Paul Toole defeats Melinda Pavey in vote for NSW Nationals leadership

Melinda Pavey was nine months’ pregnant when preselected by the Nationals in 2002, aged 33, and was sworn into NSW parliament just three weeks after giving birth.

Coffs Harbour Mayor Denise Knight, Member for Oxley Melinda Pavey and Member for Cowper Pat Conaghan at the Love Bites Charity Ball held at C.ex Coffs.

Melinda Pavey has lost her bid to become the new leader of the NSW Nationals.

The top job went to Paul Toole, who was the deputy leader, and his new deputy will be Bronnie Taylor.

In the lead up to the vote, the MP for Oxley described herself as “the most experienced Nationals Party MP in Australia”.

Paul Toole (second from left) walks with colleagues into the National Party meeting to elect a new Nationals leader and Deputy Premier. Picture: Damian Shaw

Ms Pavey, who grew up in the Coffs region and has a home in Urunga, was pictured walking into the party meeting alongside her daughter Emily.

She was nine months’ pregnant with her second child Emily when preselected by the Nationals in 2002, aged 33, and was sworn into NSW parliament just three weeks after giving birth, becoming the party’s youngest NSW member of parliament.

Ms Pavey, pregnant with Emily, after she won preselection at the age of 33. Picture: Sam Ruttyn.

Ms Pavey said she remembered trying not to wake her daughter every time she left home at 5.45am to catch an early flight to Sydney for parliamentary sitting days.

Her eldest child, Jack, is currently studying at Duntroon military college.

Like many other politicians, including former leader of the Federal Nationals Michael McCormack, she worked as a journalist before entering politics.

She grew up on a local dairy farm and was also involved in a number of small businesses.

She has been the Member for Oxley, which takes in the small towns of Urunga, Bellingen and Dorrigo, since 2015.

Forest protesters including Jonathan Cassell confront Melinda Pavey and then Treasurer Dominic Perrottet (who was voted in as the new NSW Premier on Tuesday) at Coffs Harbour Showground.

Ms Pavey and her husband Warren have a home in Urunga and she has been an active member of local Hungry Head Surf Live Saving Club.

In October 2019 she was on surf patrol when a man drowned trying to save his son.

The Oxley electorate also takes in the major centres of Kempsey and Nambucca Heads.

Pavey was the Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight from 2017 to 2019 and was involved in a number of major announcements for the long-awaited Coffs Harbour bypass.

She was the Minister Roads, Maritime and Freight from 2017 to 2019. She is pictured at the route announcement with Michael McCormack who was the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development and Luke Hartsuyker who was the former Federal Member for Cowper.

She then took on the Water, Property and Housing ministry.

In this portfolio she has been involved in the Coffs Harbour Jetty Foreshores Precinct revitalisation.

Ms Pavey nominated for the leadership of the NSW Nationals after John Barilaro’s resignation.

His announcement came just days after Gladys Berejiklian revealed she would step down as Premier.

On Tuesday Dominic Perrottet was voted in as her successor.