Fierce battle to replace Gladys Berejiklian as NSW Premier

Fomer prime minister John Howard says he believes NSW is “grieving” the departure of Gladys Berejiklian but has thrown his support behind what he describes as the standout candidate to replace her.

Former prime minister John Howard has thrown his support behind Treasurer Dominic Perrottet to become the next Premier of NSW saying he would bring ­“greater skill and experience” than the other contenders.

Mr Howard said he was “very sad” about Gladys Berejiklian’s resignation, saying he believed “the whole state is going through a bit of a grieving process”.

“I’ve been quite struck by the level of surprise but also genuine sorrow that she is going,” he said.

Mr Howard clarified he was not working the phones to rally votes for Mr Perrottet, but said he was offering his opinion that the Treasurer was the best person for the job.

“He would bring to the job greater skill and ­experience than any of the others,” he said.

John Howard and Gladys Berejiklian. Picture: AAP Image/Mick Tsikas

He said both Rob Stokes - who has confirmed his candidacy - and Stuart Ayres, who has been mentioned as a possible contender, “had good qualities”.

“But I hope Dom Perrottet wins,” he said.

Mr Howard singled out Mr Perrottet’s passion for reform as an important quality.

“We need someone with a commitment to economic reform who is always interested in finding the next reform opportunity because you can never sit still,” Mr Howard said.

“For what it is worth that is my view but it will be a matter for the parliamentary party to decide.”

Pressed further, Mr Howard said: “I think he would do an excellent job. He’s a very intelligent person. He had a good background in law before he entered parliament. He’s had a lot of experience as Treasurer.”

On Mr Perrottet’s reform skills, Mr Howard said: “I respect very much how he has pushed for the reform of taxation. The ideas he’s put up in that respect are good particularly his proposals in relation to land tax replacing over time stamp duty.

“He shows a creative intellect. He’s applying his mind to reform. We need people like that in parliament.”

Dominic Perrottet is the standout candidate, says Gladys Berejiklian. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

Asked if he was directly speaking to members of the partyroom to encourage them to vote for Mr Perrottet, Mr Howard said “I’m not getting too heavily involved”.

“It’s a matter for them. I don’t think it’s a good idea. Parliamentary members jealously guard their rights. I don’t think it’s a good look for too much involvement by formers,” he said.

“I’m expressing a view and if that has any influence on people that’s good and if it doesn’t that’s how it goes. I’m not on the phone to members of parliament.”

Mr Howard commended Ms Berejiklian for her work in the top job.

“She had done an excellent job and got the balance right. She always kept the national interest ahead of any sectional interest,” he said.

“She deserves a lot of praise and credit for that and I think people are genuinely sorry she will no longer be our premier.”

NO LIB CAN MATCH GLADYS

By Ben Pike

Labor will sit back and let the chaos unfold before reminding voters that whoever leads the ­Liberals “won’t be as good as ­Gladys Berejiklian”.

Former Labor premier Bob Carr said loss of the government’s “maternal figure” will change the settings of the 2023 election.

“The next election therefore is going to be a normal contest about bread and butter policies set in a post pandemic environment,” he said. “If it is Dominic Perrottet then Labor will be overjoyed. There’s a whole freight train of baggage behind him.”

A senior Labor source said Ms Berejiklian’s downfall came when “this was supposed to be their honeymoon period when everything was opening up. Gladys has been put up on this enormous pedestal and whoever is the leader is going to find that hard to live up to,” the source said.

“Our job is to reinforce whoever follows her will not live up to the same standard.”

Labor leader Chris Minns, in a restrained statement on Friday, said the Liberal-National party must focus on the pandemic and not internal squabbles.

Labor whip Mark Buttigieg said it could easily go for Mr Perrottet’s voting record, but the other contender, Planning Minister Rob Stokes, had “hardly set the world on fire ... and nobody knows who he is”.

Originally published as Fierce battle to replace Gladys Berejiklian as NSW Premier