No time for petty spats in NSW

Deputy Premier John Barilaro outside his NSW Parliamentary offices after the Nationals leader, backed down with his threat to shift to the cross bench over koala protection. Picture: John Feder

Compared with other states, NSW has the most effective government in Australia. But it is crumbling internally, which could cause incalculable damage to our largest state and to the national economy in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Premier Gladys Berejiklian strengthened her standing on Friday when she called the bluff of Deputy Premier and Nationals leader John Barilaro. On Thursday, Mr Barilaro hurled all his toys out of the cot, threatening to take Nationals MPs to the crossbench over protection policies. But — surprise, surprise — he also wanted to retain the party’s seven ministries in cabinet. Ms Berejiklian, who would have been forced into a minority government, stared him down, booked NSW Government House and prepared for a reshuffle. And Mr Barilaro swallowed a big piece of humble pie and backed down.

Adroit at buffoonery, he told Yoni Bashan on Sunday that Ms Berejiklian and the Liberals could “put up or shut up’’, that he will remain in cabinet and that if they do not like it, “you know where the door is’’. Teamwork was never Mr Barilaro’s forte. He has exhausted the patience of some Liberal ministers, who have decided to play by the mulish standards of Mr Barilaro. They want to ignore Nationals MPs and leave them out of ministerial visits to Nationals electorates. That is a recipe for instability. Some Liberal ministers argue the crisis between the Coalition partners is “untenable” and want Mr Barilaro to consider his position. Last time he did so he was considering, amid much fanfare, stepping down to contest the federal Labor-held marginal seat of Eden-Monaro in a by-election. But he shied away, and returned to Macquarie Street with his tail between his legs after throwing the federal Coalition’s push to capture the seat into disarray.

Ms Berejiklian played with a straight bat on Sunday when she said it’s up to Nationals MPs to decide whether Mr Barilaro should retain his position. Questioned by Bashan, the majority of Nationals ministers and backbenchers locked in behind Mr Barilaro, leaving the acrimonious status quo in place.

The bone of contention is more about brinkmanship than koalas. Outstanding differences on the State Environmental Planning Policies will be discussed in cabinet. The Nationals previously waved them through, though they claim this was done with a view to further negotiate the specifics at later dates. Ms Berejiklian is seen by some as being risk-averse. But after winning Friday’s stoush hands-down, she is right to try to turn the temperature down. She has struck the right note promising to work with whoever the Nationals elect as leader. She also wants to avoid “people, of any description, thinking they can publicly air issues at the risk of creating any sort of distraction for the community’’. The next election is not until 2023. The last thing NSW needs is for its government to become self-obsessed rather than focusing on the mammoth challenge of post-COVID economic recovery.