Jodi McKay says NSW Labor failing to ‘cut through’

Leader Jodi McKay said people want NSW Labor to “do a better job” and blamed the pandemic for her party failing to get its message across.

State Labor is failing to get “cut through” and needs “to do better,” according to the party’s own leader Jodi McKay.

An embattled Ms McKay has admitted people “want the Labor Party to do a better job,” while blaming the COVID pandemic for her party failing to get its message across.

“It is so frustrating for all of us that this government is scandal ridden, that there are so many issues that we’re exploring, and we’re not getting through,” Ms McKay said.

Leader Jodi McKay on Monday said the Labor Party is failing to “cut through”. Picture: John Grainger

The comments come after Labor’s education spokeswoman Prue Car said the community wants the opposition to better hold the government to account.

“(The public) want the Labor Party to do a better job,” Ms McKay said.

Ms McKay said “every state opposition” is struggling to get cut through amid the COVID pandemic.

“Do we need to do better? Yes. Do we need to try and work out how we get cut through in this environment? Yes,” she said.

NSW Labor leader Jodi McKay and Labor’s education spokeswoman Prue Car. Picture: Supplied.

Ms McKay highlighted issues the opposition has sought to prosecute, including Premier Gladys Berejiklian becoming embroiled in an ICAC inquiry into her former boyfriend, scandals involving the government insurer, and overcrowded schools.

“We need to do better at getting our messages out there, and that is incumbent on me (and) it’s incumbent on our state parliamentary Labor Party,” Ms McKay said.

After declaring she would hold a shadow cabinet reshuffle on Monday, the Labor leader refused to comment further on who from her front bench could be dumped.

Daniel Walton. Picture: AAP/Ben Rushton

Gerard Hayes. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Bianca De Marchi

Ms McKay on Tuesday also denied she was waging a war against two powerful unions which commissioned polling which showed the party’s primary vote had slumped to 100-year lows.

However she doubled down on her attacks on Australian Workers Union secretary Daniel Walton and Health Services Union secretary Gerard Hayes.

“If they want to do a poll using members’ money so be it, but they can actually share it with me and the Labor Party, that’s my issue,” she said.