‘Learnt nothing’: Fed-up Ally smashes treasurer Matt Kean

Newly appointed deputy NSW Liberal leader Matt Kean has been savaged by Today host Ally Langdon, who slammed the party for having “learnt nothing”.

Newly appointed deputy NSW Liberal leader Matt Kean has been savaged by Today host Ally Langdon, who slammed the party for having “learnt nothing”.

Treasurer Kean stepped into role unopposed on Tuesday after Trade Minister Stuart Ayres resigned from cabinet last week over the John Barilaro New York trade commissioner furore.

Speaking to the Nine program on Wednesday morning, Mr Kean was grilled by host Karl Stefanovic over the “weeks of scandal after scandal”.

“Matt, I would say congratulations, but I mean it’s not exactly a great time to be stepping into the job — your party’s a mess!” he said.

Mr Kean insisted “we’re focused on the people of NSW”.

“Hang on, hang on. Are you focused on the people of NSW? It seems to be all infighting and kind of navel gazing,” Stefanovic said.

The Treasurer said he had just handed down a “big budget to help first homeowners get into the market”.

“Universal childcare, accessible childcare here in NSW to help more women participate in the economy,” he said. “Up to 95,000 women will be able to participate because of our reforms. We are doing this like helping lower cost-of-living pressures with bill buster program, lowering electricity bills by $600.”

Matt Kean copped a grilling from Karl Stefanovic and Ally Langdon. Picture: Today show

Matt Kean and Dominic Perrottet on Tuesday. Picture: David Swift/NCA NewsWire

But Stefanovic hit back that “I know all of this, everyone knows it, but the message doesn’t really get past what’s going on”.

“The Premier is up to his eyeballs. How long has he got left? Will you be prepared to take the top job?” he said.

Mr Kean said the Premier Dominic Perrottet was “doing an outstanding job” and had the full support of his team, before trying to turn the conversation back to the budget.

Langdon then cut in, arguing people in NSW were still unhappy about the former Premier Gladys Berejiklian’s departure.

“Matt, we understand — look, it was a pretty good budget,” she said.

“But it’s not anything people are talking the about, however much you try right now. You have multiple ministers are gone. One over corruption, voters are still upset over Gladys and you keep replacing men with men. Have you learnt nothing from the federal election?”

Mr Kean replied, “Absolutely not. We have got a talented party room. Talented people that are contributing, supporting their communities, delivering for the state. That’s going to continue to happen. We’ve focused on a number of things to support women, like returning to the workforce by rolling out affordable, accessible child care so women have the choice about whether they return to work or stay at home.”

But Stefanovic said Langdon’s question was “more about the perception of your party replacing men with men rather than promoting women from within, which is what happened” with the former federal government of Scott Morrison.

Today hosts Karl Stefanovic and Ally Langdon. Picture: Supplied

“Look what happened to them at the last election. You are going to get punished if you don’t rectify that,” he said.

Mr Kean agreed “we absolutely need to rectify that”.

“We’ll do that through our preselection processes,” he said.

“We need more talented women putting their hands up to serve their communities and our party should be welcoming that. We need to be reflective of the community we’re hoping to serve, if we’re going to be re-elected. That is what I’m focused on as the new deputy leader.”

Stefanovic suggested it was “perhaps a good opportunity to let a female take the deputy leader position, Matt?”

The Treasurer said he “welcomed all people putting their hands forward, putting their credentials forward, to let the party room decide as to who was the best to take us forward”.

“I put my hand up and I welcomed other people, men, women, putting their hands up as well. I was the only one that ended up putting up my hand,” he said.

Mr Perrottet is facing a barrage of questions over his former deputy’s appointment to the lucrative role, which is now the subject of a parliamentary inquiry.

Mr Perrottet on Tuesday announced that there would be yet another inquiry – a legal review looking into whether Mr Ayres violated the ministerial rule book during his alleged involvement in the Barilaro scandal.

Earlier on Tuesday, the NSW Treasurer was chosen as Mr Ayres’ replacement for the largely ceremonial position.

Under the NSW Coalition agreement, the deputy premier is the Nationals leader and that person acts as premier when Mr Perrottet is away.

That means the position as deputy Liberal leader has little practical effect.

— with NCA NewsWire