NSW Nationals Leader and Deputy Premier John Barilaro to take mental health leave after koala policy clash

NSW Nationals leader and Deputy Premier John Barilaro temporarily steps down to take care of his mental health.

NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro. Picture: Bianca De Marchi

NSW Nationals leader and Deputy Premier John Barilaro is temporarily stepping down from the role to take care of his mental health.

His leave starts tomorrow, and his deputy Paul Toole will stand in his absence.

Mr Barilaro is understood to be taking leave for four weeks.

Sky News reported the leave is due to mental health.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian this afternoon issued a statement confirming Mr Barilaro had advised her he would be taking four weeks of personal leave.

“I have offered him any support he may need,” Ms Berejiklian said.

“I wish John and his family all the best during this time.”

“After nine months of helping people rebuild their lives after the worst fires in history, after dealing with farmers who have just faced the worse drought on record and compounded with losing his father a month ago, it’s time for a rest,” a source close to Mr Barilaro said, according to The Daily Telegraph.

It comes after two tumultuous weeks of growing acrimony for the NSW Coalition, which boiled over when Mr Barilaro threatened to take his Nationals team to the crossbench over a koala protection policy.

Transport Minister Andrew Constance said Mr Barilaro had been “politically reckless” while Ms Berejiklain warned the Nationals she would swear in an all-Liberal ministry if they carried out their threat.

Stared down by the premier, Mr Barilaro withdrew his threats and committed to the Coalition until the election.

“I have no intentions to blow up the Coalition or create instability,” Mr Barilaro said.

This week he survived calls for his resignation from senior members of his own government and on Tuesday began working to repair relations with some of his Coalition colleagues.

While his leadership was not challenged at a National party room meeting on Tuesday. He currently holds the majority of his colleagues’ support: there are 19 Nationals MPs in NSW parliament, including Mr Barilaro, and at least 13 have publicly committed to supporting him since the political stoush began.

Ironically, the leave will see him miss the scheduled parliamentary debate of the bill he threatened to “blow up” the NSW government for.