$140,000 pay rise but rogue Lib Matthew Mason-Cox expelled

NSW Legislative Council president Matthew Mason-Cox has been expelled from the Liberal Party just hours after a bizarre stunt saw him ­ascend to the $300,000-a-year position at the expense of a colleague.

Matthew Mason-Cox was elected as Legislative Council President in chaotic scenes on Tuesday night against the wishes of the government. Picture: NCA Newswire

NSW Legislative Council president Matthew Mason-Cox has been expelled from the Liberal Party just hours after a bizarre stunt saw him ­ascend to the $300,000-a-year position at the expense of a female ­colleague.

An extraordinary series of events came to a head late on Tuesday night when Premier Gladys Berejiklian’s preferred presidential candidate, Natasha Maclaren-Jones, tried to claim the seat, which had been vacant since the previous president in the upper house, John Ajaka, ­departed on March 25.

Her attempt, supported by members of the Coalition, was met with uproar, as members of Labor and the crossbench shouted over the top of Ms ­Maclaren-Jones, accusing her of staging a “mini coup”. Just over an hour later, she was deposed by a no-confidence motion.

After nominating himself for the position, Mr Mason-Cox was voted in by 23 to 18. His election will result in a $140,000 pay rise. Ms Berejiklian described the ­incident as “very disappointing” and accused Labor of “playing games”.

“We are in the middle of a pandemic, and here we have the Labor Party and the Greens supporting a Liberal male ahead of a Liberal female. I just don’t get it,” Ms Berejiklian told a press conference on Wednesday.

“I don’t think most people in NSW care about it, to be honest. They just want us to get on with the job of governing. That’s my job, and I’m just not happy that people obviously prefer to play games.”

In a statement, the NSW Liberal Party confirmed the expulsion: “The NSW Liberal Party has expelled the Hon Matthew Mason-Cox for breaching the party rules. The expulsion takes effect immediately.”

It is not the first time Mr Mason-Cox has courted ­controversy.

He was one of three Liberal MPs who attempted to move a leadership spill against Ms Berejiklian after she sup­ported the decriminalisation of abortion in 2019.