Nationals’ bluff falls flat as Premier Gladys Berejiklian calls it out
The Premier is now operating in a new normal — a pandemic-ravaged political landscape that leaves no time for irritations. And she sent a clear message to Nationals leader John Barilaro and his party that there is no place for unhelpful histrionics, dummy-spitting and empty threats.
Opinion
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There’s an old workplace strategy which dictates that in order for an employee to secure a pay rise they have to actually quit.
For the past 48 hours Deputy Premier John Barilaro was one of those impatient employees playing his boss with a bluff.
The problem for him was that his boss, Gladys Berejiklian, was not in the mood.
The Premier is now operating in a new normal — a pandemic-ravaged political landscape that leaves no time for irritations. In short, she doesn’t have time — or the stomach — for crap any more.
That’s not to say the issue at the centre of this debacle — the koala regulation — won’t be dealt with again, because it will be brought back to cabinet.
But the Premier wanted to send a clear message that there is no longer any place for unhelpful histrionics, dummy-spitting and empty threats, at least in the public arena. And definitely a low tolerance for aggressive text messages.
The fact she gave no ground at all on this issue on Friday was testimony to her resolve.
For his part, Mr Barilaro achieved his aim of telling his constituents flirting with the Shooters that he is prepared to stand up to his Liberal coalition partners, and that will play well with them.
However, he is now left with the task of selling the outcome as something, anything, other than a whimpering loss, and at the same time fending off some tepid attempts at a challenge for his own job by candidates who, luckily for him, aren’t yet up to the task.
For Ms Berejiklian, she has shown the doubters in her party she is prepared to squash Mr Barilaro when she feels it’s needed — and she is now free to get on with the task of keeping the COVID-19 pandemic at bay.