Gladys Berejiklian ready to pounce as Mike Baird makes a shock exit

MIKE Baird has backed Treasurer Gladys Berejiklian to replace him as Premier — telling The Daily Telegraph yesterday following his shock resignation: “I think that she has proven herself.”

MIKE Baird has backed Treasurer Gladys Berejiklian to replace him as Premier — telling The Daily Telegraph yesterday following his shock resignation: “I think that she has proven herself and would make an outstanding premier if she was given that privilege by the party room.”

Ms Berejiklian, who yesterday announced she would stand at Monday’s Liberal party room meeting to choose the state’s top job, is the ­expected successor.

She is expected to win the job after a cross-factional deal agreed to yesterday afternoon which would see Dominic Perrottet, from the Right, become Deputy Leader and Treasurer.

Gladys Berejiklian is expected to take over as NSW premier from Mike Baird.

Transport Minister Andrew Constance was last night still counting the numbers, but another possible contender, Planning Minister Rob Stokes, was expected not to run.

Mr Stokes’ hopes of taking the job were severely damaged by the fact Mr Baird, his closest friend in Parliament, chose to resign at a time Mr Stokes was off in London.

Mr Stokes, with no warning from his boss, the man who had approved his leave, slept through a frantic series of text messages and phone calls from supporters attempting to encourage him to run for the job.

One MP described the Premier’s treatment of his Planning Minister as a “mongrel act”. Another senior government source described it as a “complete stitch-up”.

Mr Baird told Ms Berejiklian he was retiring when he met her for breakfast yesterday morning in the city. By 9am he had announced his retirement in a press release before holding a press conference with his wife and children watching on.

Mr Baird’s retirement yesterday was two years and nine months into the job — and about two weeks before he was scheduled to undertake the Cabinet reshuffle he had foreshadowed in August.

“It was very clear this was the time to restore and refresh the team to set them up for the next election,” he told The Daily Telegraph yesterday.

“I came to the realisation that wouldn’t include me.”

Premier Mike Baird with his family yesterday. Picture: Ryan Osland

The extraordinary admission that it was time to go came after his government had hit rocky times over Mr Baird’s greyhound racing ban and local government amalgamations last year. There was also the Orange by-election loss, which forced the resignation of then deputy premier Troy Grant. Mr Baird faced more damaging by-elections if he went ahead with a planned cabinet reshuffle that could have meant dumping ministers Jillian Skinner and Brad Hazzard.

Mike Baird: The life of a Premier

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Instead, Mr Baird announced he was creating his own by-election, in the seat of Manly.

The Premier broke down at yesterday’s press conference as he pointed to a series of severe family illnesses — his mother requiring 24-hour care for muscular dystrophy, his father having open heart surgery and his sister having cancer — as reasons why he was leaving to spend more time with his family. “After 10 years in public life, three years as treasurer and three years as premier, I think now is the right time to do this,” Mr Baird said.

“Secondly, there is a strong personal cost that comes in public life. I’ve probably felt that more than any other time in the past few months.”

He told The Daily Telegraph later: “I think I have been pretty consistent. I don’t intend to be a career politician. This is the time for the next person to have their vision.” Mr Baird — who is entitled to no parliamentary superannuation, having first entered Parliament in 2007 — is now expected to return to the banking world.

Premier Mike Baird announces his retirement at a press conference at his Martin Place office yesterday. Picture: Mark Evans

He has fielded numerous offers as premier and treasurer, having previously worked for National Australia Bank and HSBC. “Look, over the years, people have said, if I ever leave politics, I should talk to them,” Mr Baird said. “That’s obviously something I’ll do in coming weeks.”

Mr Baird dismissed to The Daily Telegraph the suggestion the looming reshuffle was a reason for his departure — saying he had done “three” as premier. He also denied he had dudded Mr Stokes.

“Look, Rob and I are good friends,” Mr Baird said.

“Obviously we have spent a lot of time together. He’s got a huge future. I expect him to play a significant role in NSW politics.”

Premier Mike Baird addresses the media yesterday. Picture: AAP

The pair were understood to have spoken last night with Mr Baird making clear Ms Berejiklian was in the box seat.

The outgoing Premier confirmed he had thought of quitting months ago “but it was not definitive” until the past couple of weeks.

The Daily Telegraph understands the reshuffle had caused tensions with Deputy Premier John Barilaro, with Mr Baird keen to hang onto Education Minister Adrian Piccoli but Mr Barilaro wanting him dumped.

Mr Baird did not even tell Mr Barilaro he was going yesterday, with the Deputy Premier admitting he heard about the retirement through the media. Mr Baird told The Daily Telegraph: “Everything I wanted to get done, we’d made huge progress, if not completed or done even more.” He said his greatest moment in the job was the sale of the electricity poles and wires and his lowest moment was the Lindt Cafe siege.

If Ms Berejiklian is elected by the Liberal party room on Monday morning, she will become the state’s 45th premier, its second female premier and Australia’s first female Liberal premier. She said in a statement yesterday: “I am deeply saddened that Mike Baird has announced his decision to ­retire.

“I wish Mike, Kerryn and their family the very best for the future and thank them for the personal sacrifices they have made. Today is Mike’s day but I would like to make it clear that I will be standing for the leadership.”