Nationals chairman will refer Chris Minns to ICAC over upper house president furore

Nationals chairman Andrew Fraser will refer Chris Minns to ICAC for offering a cushy job to close mate Ben Franklin — saying Labor has offered the Coalition MP an “inducement” for political gain.

Premier Chris Minns’ move to install one of his best mates in a top parliamentary job is set to be referred to the Independent Commission Against Corruption.

Amid white-hot anger from Nationals MPs that one of their colleagues may accept a potential nomination to serve as the president of the Upper House, the party’s chairman is planning to ask the corruption watchdog to investigate any potential wrongdoing.

Nationals MPs on Thursday agreed that the party would not nominate anyone for the plum $315,000 job.

It came after Premier Chris Minns courted former Arts Minister and Nationals MP Ben Franklin for the role, which comes with a car and driver, an expense account, a bigger office, and a $143,000 pay rise.

Mr Franklin is a godfather to one of Mr Minns’ children.

Ben Franklin and Chris Minns go back a long way and are close mates. Pictured here in 2015.

The cushy job will be filled by a vote of Upper House MPs on Tuesday.

The Daily Telegraph does not suggest the job offer amounts to corrupt conduct.

However, Nationals chairman Andrew Fraser is planning to refer the issue to the corruption watchdog because it could be interpreted as Labor offering an “inducement” for political gain.

“If Mr Franklin is elected president, it will mean the Coalition loses a vote on the floor of the upper house making it easier for Labor to pass legislation,” Mr Fraser told The Telegraph.

“This is a job within the parliament gives an advantage to Minns on the floor of the Legislative Council and it gives us our in a white car to a member.

“If the parliamentary party doesn’t refer it (to ICAC), as chairman of the state Nationals I will.”

If Mr Franklin accepts the nomination for president and is elected, Mr Fraser said he would call a meeting of the Nationals executive in a move which would kick off the process of expelling Mr Franklin from the party.

The question of whether to expel Mr Franklin from the Nationals would be considered by the party’s central council, with Mr Franklin given the “right to defend (himself),” Mr Fraser said.

Nationals leader Paul Toole called on Mr Franklin to turn the job offer down.

Ben Franklin could be booted from the Nationals if he takes the gig.

Earlier, furious NSW Nationals accused Mr Franklin of being a “traitor” for considering a “jobs for the boys” offer from his close friend.

Multiple National MPs called on Mr Franklin to be booted from the party if he accepted the position. One source accused Mr Franklin of treachery for considering the position.

Another accused Mr Franklin of “complete bastardry” by not immediately rejecting Labor’s offer while a third source blamed the fiasco on Nationals leader Paul Toole for failing to haul one of his MPs into line.

Mr Toole called on Mr Franklin to turn down the job offer.

“He should not be accepting the position of president of the upper house,” he said.

Deputy Premier Prue Car dismissed the potential ICAC referral as Nationals MPs having a “hissy fit”.

“It’s up to Ben Franklin as to whether he nominates for the position,” she said on Thursday.

“Clearly, this is a pretty vexatious complaint,” she said.

“They cannot be tying up the resources of the ICAC to monitor disagreements within their own party room and the whole of NSW having to watch their endless hissy fit after the election.”

Earlier, Mr Minns admitted that if Mr Franklin was appointed, it would make it easier for Labor to pass its legislation.

“I’m being upfront about that,” he said. “It’s a recognition from us that we don’t have majorities (in either house of parliament).”

However the Premier rejected the assertion Mr Franklin being made upper house president could be viewed as “jobs for the boys”.

“I would say look at the government’s track record, particularly in relation to the appointment … or prospective election of the speaker of the Legislative Assembly, and that’s Greg Piper, he’s an independent MP,” he said.

Mr Franklin refused to comment on the matter.