John Barilaro: New deputy premier says he’s ready to take the fight to Mike Baird if need be

EXCLUSIVE: NEW Deputy Premier John Barilaro says he is ready to take the fight up to Premier Mike Baird on issues such as council amalgamations.

• BARILARO ELECTED UNOPPOSED AS NSW NATS LEADER
• GRANT QUITS AFTER ORANGE BY-ELECTION DISASTER

NEW Deputy Premier John Barilaro says he is a “fighter” prepared to “upset people” and ready to take the fight up to Premier Mike Baird on issues such as council amalgamations.

In an exclusive interview, Mr Barilaro pledged to travel to Orange with new deputy Niall Blair next week and hear the anger of the local community after Saturday’s disastrous by-election.

The new Deputy Premier’s strong comments came as he detailed a phone call from Mr Baird on Sunday, an apparent attempt by the Premier to discourage him from running against Troy Grant for the Nationals leadership.

Mr Barilaro also admitted yesterday that he was “complicit” in the disastrous greyhound racing ban that led to the by-election disaster and Mr Grant’s resignation.

New leader of the NSW National Party John Barilaro pictured with his family today. L to R, Alessia, John holding Sofia, Deanna and Domenica.

“I’m a fighter, everyone knows that,” he said.

“On some of those key ­issues I’ve had fights internally, I’ve had some publicly. I was endorsed this morning by the National Party because of the passion and energy I have.

“Sometimes I do upset ­people because of it but at the same time I’m able to call it for what it is. I’m happy to work in a strong Coalition; unity is the key for success, but happy to have the fights we have to have on behalf of regional NSW.”

Former Deputy Premier Troy Grant fell on his sword after the disastrous Orange by-election result. Picture: Justin Lloyd

Mr Barilaro revealed that he told Mr Baird he was considering standing as leader during the Premier’s call.

“He spoke about how he supports Troy and what Troy has done,” he said.

“I spoke to him about the Orange by-election ... I spoke to him about (how) the Nats as a party were upset.”

John Barilaro and Premier Mike Baird. Picture: Stephen Cooper

Deputy Premier John Barilaro is sworn in. Picture: Stephen Cooper

Despite the upheaval of Mr Barilaro and Mr Blair’s election to Nats leader and deputy leader in place of Mr Grant and Adrian Piccoli, Mr Baird continued to insist yesterday that he would not reshuffle his cabinet until the new year.

But sources said the government had been somewhat “paralysed” since August, when Mr Baird foreshadowed a reshuffle in the new year.

Ministers and backbenchers are already jockeying for positions and there is restlessness in the Liberal Party over a reshuffle delay.  While Mr Barilaro said yesterday he had offered Mr Grant a ministry, he was not giving the same guarantees to former deputy leader and Education Minister Adrian Piccoli or upper house government leader and Roads Minister Duncan Gay.

John Barilaro with his family and Mike Baird after being sworn in. Picture: Stephen Cooper

Among those understood to be under threat of being dumped in the Liberals are ­Attorney-General Gabrielle Upton, Mental Health Minister Pru Goward and Health Minister Jillian Skinner.

“I made no promises to any other ministers except I did reach out to Troy,” Mr Barilaro said. “For him to fall on his sword, that’s about his leadership and has nothing to do with his role in those three key portfolios ... I would like him to stay on.”

Mr Barilaro said he wanted to see regeneration, a move likely to reward people who backed him into the leadership, including Melinda Pavey and Chris Gulaptis; even former minister Kevin Humphries. “What I do want is the portfolios in the National Party that represent our ­regions, so I’ll be looking at those,” he said. “I said to the party room that today is a clean slate for everybody.”

John Barilaro was all smiles with daughter Sofia, 1. Picture: Stephen Cooper

Mr Barilaro said he and Mr Blair, who beat Andrew Fraser for deputy, would visit Orange next week to address the community on issues that arose in the by-election.

The latest count had the Shooters leading the Nats by 79 votes. “I think amalgamations, greyhounds, health, whatever other issues are there, let’s get out there, ­engage,” he said.

He defended a text revealed yesterday by The Telegraph that he sent to Mr Grant in August urging him to sack ministers or parliamentary secretaries who crossed the floor over the greyhound racing ban. “I actually relayed that face-to-face in the party room so that text I shared with Troy which I would have hoped would remain private ... nothing in that text that I ­actually didn’t say in the party room to my colleagues,” he said. “I am a minister who supported the ban in cabinet, I am complicit in the problems that we’ve faced in Orange.”