Some Liberals unhappy with Don Harwin’s new appointment
The state minister who was sacked because he couldn’t stay inside when we were all in lockdown will now travel all over NSW in a controversial new role.
NSW
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Ex-minister Don Harwin has been appointed the Premier’s representative in a critical review of electoral boundary redistribution.
Mr Harwin, who emailed his colleagues announcing his work, is referring to himself as Ms Berejiklian’s “representative”, signing off “leader’s representative”.
It comes less than two months after Mr Harwin was sidelined from the ministry over breaching COVID-19 travel restrictions when the Premier was ordering voters to stay home.
While Mr Harwin’s moderate colleagues are running an overt campaign to return the upper house MP to the ministry, other ministers and backbenchers have warned of a “revolt if he is politically resuscitated”.
It is understood one option being eyed by Liberals in their electoral redistribution submission is proposing the abolition of a safe Nationals seat – Cootamundra.
One source said this could protect the Liberals from losing an inner-city seat, but would spark an all out Coalition war.
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During Mr Harwin’s work on the electoral redistribution for the Liberal party, he will interview MPs asking them about their views on electoral boundaries.
A Liberal party spokesman said “in recognition of his psephological expertise, Don Harwin was asked to represent the Parliamentary Party view for the Liberal Party submission to the NSW Electoral Commission”.
The spokesman said Mr Harwin was doing the work in a voluntary capacity.
One MP quipped “he’s perfectly qualified to travel around the state and make recommendations now that travel restrictions have been lifted”.