Deputy Premier John Barilaro fears infighting could cost party seats

More Nationals are backing demands for the Morrison government to support coal power despite Deputy Premier John Barilaro angrily claiming the infighting could cost the party seats at the state election.

• Policies in brief: Energy
• Industries fear rising energy costs could cripple them

More Nationals are backing demands for the Morrison government to support coal power despite Deputy Premier John Barilaro angrily claiming the infighting could cost the party seats at the state election.

Federal National MP David Gillespie — who represents the mid-north coast seat of Lyne — wants all retiring coal-fired power stations to be replaced by high-efficiency, low-emission coal plants and is urging the government to underwrite proposals to remove investor risk.

“Investors just want a written commitment that they won’t be left holding an asset … if future governments are crazy enough to change the rules (in the energy market) so they can’t make their repayments,” he told The Daily Telegraph.

Federal National MP David Gillespie wants all retiring coal-fired power stations to be replaced by low-emission coal plants. Picture: Michael Masters/Getty Images

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Earlier this week ex-deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce backed the Queensland Nationals’ push for taxpayer support to build new coal-fired power stations in a move insiders believe is part of a proxy war over the party’s leadership.

But Prime Minister Scott Morrison has poured cold water on government guarantees for coal-fired power stations because state governments had “no intention” to approve any projects.

Mr Barilaro blasted his bickering federal colleagues on Tuesday, telling them to “just shut up” and warned Mr Joyce’s leadership bid could cost state MPs their seats.

Scott Morrison said state government had “no intention” to approve any of those projects. Picture: AAP Image/Daniel Pockett

Deputy Premier John Barilaro told his federal colleagues to “just shut up”. Picture: AAP Image/Mick Tsikas

“My team and I have worked hard for the people of regional NSW and I’d hate to think those communities could miss out on so many of our great initiatives because of unhelpful distractions from the Canberra bubble,” he said.

“My federal colleagues need to stop talking about themselves. The last thing anyone wants to hear is politicians publicly airing their own internal ambitions and their own internal fights.”

Federal Nationals Deputy Leader Bridget McKenzie also took a swipe at Mr Joyce.

“Michael McCormack is our leader — we all back him to the hilt — he’ll be leading us to the federal election,” Senator McKenzie said.

Deputy Nationals Leader Bridget McKenzie also took aim at Barnaby Joyce. Picture Kym Smith

She claimed the Nationals party room backed a “technology-neutral” approach — despite the growing list of MPs publicly putting pressure on the government to back coal.

Delivering a speech in honour of the Liberal Party’s founder, Mr Morrison reflected on the strength of the relationship between Robert Menzies and Country Party leader John “Black Jack” McEwen.

“In the same way that Ming and Blackjack work so well together, over all of those years, I can tell you that ScoMo and Big Mac (Mr McCormack) over here are doing exactly the same thing,” he said.