NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro’s PM attack ‘dribbling’ says George Brandis

NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro’s extraordinary attack on the Prime Minister has been dubbed the “dribblings of a politician who nobody outside of NSW has ever heard of”.

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Federal Attorney-General George Brandis has savaged NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro — who last week called for the PM to resign as a “Christmas gift” to Australians — labelling the Nationals MP’s comments “the dribblings of some obscure politician who nobody outside of NSW has ever heard of”.

The NSW Deputy Premier last week told Sydney’s 2GB radio Malcolm Turnbull should step down as Prime Minister, furthering tensions within the Coalition.

Today, Mr Barilaro said he stood by the claim but was forced to admit his relationship with the Prime Minister is “broken” following the open attack.

“My relationship with the prime minister is a broken relationship,” Mr Barilaro told reporters in Queanbeyan today.

NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro has stood by his call for the PM to go, during a roads campaign launch in Queanbeyan today. Picture: Gary Ramage

“I made some comments regardless of what everybody is saying about those comments, I made them, I own them.”

But the extraordinary attack has seen Mr Barilaro slammed by his own side, including Federal Attorney-General George Brandis.

“The first time I’d even heard of Mr Barilaro was on Friday morning when he burst forth into lurid light courtesy of the Alan Jones radio program,” Senator Brandis said.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Mr Barilaro says the relationship is now “broken”. Picture: AAP

The Nationals MP said Mr Turnbull should step down as a “Christmas present” to voters. Picture: Gary Ramage

“We’ve all heard the old saying ‘free advice is worth what you pay for it’, and on this occasion Mr Barilaro’s musing are worth considerably less than that.”

Mr Barilaro’s remarks also forced NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian to publicly distance herself from her deputy.

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Ms Berejiklian said in a statement her deputy had “expressed a personal view which I do not share”.

However, Mr Barilaro was adamant on Monday that he still had her support.

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NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has distanced herself from her deputy. Picture: AAP

“I can tell you that before the premier left for overseas, I have had conversations with her and she stands by me being deputy premier of NSW,” Mr Barilaro told ABC radio.

Mr Barilaro said it was now up to him to try and “work through” the problems he had with Mr Turnbull and try to rebuild a relationship with him.