NSW election: John Howard hits out at Labor’s preference deal with Shooters party

Former PM John Howard warned a Labor election win in NSW would see the minor party attempt to erode gun laws.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian visits the western Sydney suburb of Penrith with John Howard to announce a cap on Opal fares. Picture: Toby Zerna

Former prime minister John Howard has joined Gladys Berejiklian in the final week of the NSW state election campaign, where he again took aim at Michael Daley’s controversial preference deal with the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers party.

At a doorstop outside the Westfield shopping centre in the crucial swing seat of Penrith in western Sydney, Mr Howard told reporters a Labor win would see the Shooters attempt to erode gun laws.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, former Prime Minister John Howard, centre, and Penrith MP Stuart Ayres with locals. Picture: Toby Zerna

“I think it’s bad that he’s made a preference deal because if Labor were to win with the help of the Shooters, the Shooters would demand relaxation of our gun laws — that is as sure as night follows day.”

He also defended the timing of his appearance in Liberal party video advertisements that appeared on social media last night, saying the campaign criticising the deal had been filmed before the Christchurch terror attack that claimed 50 lives.

“It’s a statement I made before the tragedy across the ditch and it’s a statement I repeat,” Mr Howard told reporters.

Former PM John Howard repeats criticism of NSW Labor’s preference deal with the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers party ahead of Saturday’s state election. Says a Labor win would see the shooters demand a “relaxation” of gun laws. @australian pic.twitter.com/OhZbTed8HS

— Olivia Caisley (@livcaisley) March 18, 2019

The whistlestop tour of the shopping complex saw the Liberal party members swamped by constituents, eager to get a photo with the former Prime Minister.

His comments come as the premier called on Mr Daley to “tear-up” his controversial preference deal with the minor party.

“If he is a person of character he needs to rip up his preference deal with the Shooters,” Ms Berejiklian told reporters earlier today at Penrith Train Station, where she promised to slash the Opal card weekly travel cap by 20 per cent if successful at the polls on Saturday.

Flanked by Transport and Infrastructure Minister Andrew Constance and Sports Minister Stuart Ayres, Ms Berejiklian said the cap reduction would save some commuters up to $686 a year and be a “huge relief” for anyone who relies on buses, ferries and trains.

The Premier and former PM were flocked by shoppers. Picture: Toby Zerna

When asked if Mr Daley’s link with the Shooters could be compared to her government’s history of legislative bargaining with the minor party, she said there was a “big difference” between political negotiation in the upper house and an election preference deal.

“We owe them nothing,” she said. “We are not doing a preference deal with the Shooters, Mr Daley is, he has to answer to that.”

The state Labor leader has repeatedly defended his controversial preference strategy, saying he would prefer to quit politics than weaken the state’s gun laws.