NSW A-G Mark Speakman defends snubbing Premier Gladys Berejiklian

NSW Attorney-General Mark Speakman has defended a decision to reject a visit from Premier Gladys Berejiklian to his seat of Cronulla.

NSW Attorney-General Mark Speakman. Picture: Flavio Brancaleone

NSW Attorney-General Mark Speakman has defended a decision to reject a visit from Premier Gladys Berejiklian to his seat of Cronulla over a lack of funding for his constituents, saying he would always ‘stand up’ for the needs of his community.

As revealed by The Australian last week, Mr Speakman called for the Premier’s visit to Cronulla be cancelled after emailing her office and citing his disappointment that his electorate had not benefited financially during her tenure as leader.

His snubbing of the Premier followed her recent appearance at the Independent Commission Against Corruption hearing last month, where she was examined about her relationship with corrupt former Liberal MP Daryl Maguire, the fallout of which has left her leadership under threat.

The NSW Legislative Council is expected on Tuesday to hear a motion calling for the referral of Ms Berejiklian to the ICAC for investigation over alleged discrepancies in the evidence she provided during her six hours in the witness box.

Ms Berejiklian was due to visit Mr Speakman’s electorate last Friday but cancelled the appointment after receiving an email saying it would be better if she did not attend. The Attorney-General cited the lack of funding as the reason she would be unwelcome.

Asked why he took the unusual step of rejecting a visit from the Premier, Mr Speakman on Monday said that he thoroughly supported Ms Berejiklian’s leadership, but he would always strongly represent the members of his community.

He also appeared to take aim at the large number of vocal proponents for other electorates that seemed to be receiving the bulk of funds from recent announcements.

“Gladys Berejiklian will lead us to the next election and lead us to beyond the next election, but that strong leadership won’t stop me as a local member from speaking up for my community,” he told reporters.

“There are plenty of champions for the bush in NSW and western Sydney, but I won’t pull any punches standing up for my community.”

The seat of Cronulla is a safe Liberal seat that has been held by Mr Speakman since 2011, ­currently with a margin of 19.6 per cent.

The Premier’s last visit to the electorate was just before the March 2019 election, The Australian understands, about 18 months ago.

Mr Speakman is regarded as a potential leadership contender, along with a number of other Liberal MPs.

Last month he was touted as a possible replacement for Ms Berejiklian following her appearance at the ICAC.

He declined to say on Monday whether an alternative date had been set with the Premier for her return to the seat.

Ms Berejiklian did not respond to questions.

NSW Labor leader Jodi McKay said the Attorney-General’s remarks underscored the “arbitrary way” funds had been distributed by the Berejiklian government, an issue that has been examined closely by a parliamentary inquiry in recent months.

“If even her closest allies are now seeing through the way she doles out cash to curry favour and achieve tactical goals, that just underlines the complete lack of transparency and probity at the heart of the Berejiklian Government,” Ms McKay said.