NSW Coalition must move on

Revelations about leaks, mistrust and dysfunction inside the NSW Coalition government create an alarming picture about the legacy of former premier Mike Baird. Just nine months on from his resignation the government, now led by Gladys Berejiklian, is still dealing with the fallout from some of his policy decisions; in particular the incendiary and ultimately failed bid to force council mergers. The Australian’s new NSW political editor, Andrew Clennell, has detailed how planning policies are also creating tensions, especially between Planning Minister Anthony Roberts and Corrective Services Minister David Elliott. Apparent leaks, including about items on the cabinet agenda, have fuelled animosity within the ministry and led to staff changes.

Bitterness and disillusionment have manifested themselves in troublesome by-elections last year (when the Nationals lost Orange to the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party), in April (when former health minister Jillian Skinner left parliament at the same time as Mr Baird) and next month when two former Nationals frontbenchers (Adrian Piccoli and Katrina Hodgkinson) will be replaced along with former Labor leader John Robertson. It is a tricky environment for Ms Berejiklian as she attempts to steady the government and consolidate the gains of what has been, overall, a successful administration.

The root cause of the problems was the rushed departure of Mr Baird. He was catapulted into the job prematurely by the shock resignation of Barry O’Farrell over a bottle of Penfolds Grange he denied receiving. But after performing well at the 2015 election Mr Baird ran into trouble, overreaching on the council amalgamations and a silly bid to ban the entire greyhound racing industry. Then he quit out of the blue. The public musings of his former media adviser have suggested Mr Baird was hounded out of office by an antipathetic media. The reality is a good premier was correcting major mistakes but, instead of seeing the task through, he was tempted into an easier, more lucrative, banking job. Fair enough. But even if his former colleagues think he bailed on them, their task is to move on.