Blame game over who leaked top Lib’s road offending
Opposition Roads spokesman Natalie Ward dialled into a video call while driving, now NSW Liberals want to know who leaked the internal call.
NSW
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Tensions between the NSW Coalition have erupted again, with furious Liberals blaming a firebrand Nationals MP for a damaging leak designed to burn Deputy Liberal Leader Natalie Ward.
It comes after Ms Ward was caught breaking road rules by joining a video call while driving last year.
The Australian reported Ms Ward’s wrongdoing on Tuesday, publishing a screenshot from the Teams call showing her dialled in while behind the wheel.
Ms Ward copped to the error, but blamed one of her colleagues for leaking the photo nine months later.
She declined to publicly blame anyone for the leak, but Liberals are pointing the finger at Nationals MP Wes Fang, who has been in open warfare with upper house Liberals in recent weeks.
Mr Fang has repeatedly yelled over Liberal MPs in budget estimates hearings, and clashed with Ms Ward over questioning earlier this month.
Last week, Ms Ward accused Mr Fang of “indulgent behaviour,” acting “dishonourably,” and showing “discourtesy” to parliamentary staff.
“He should consider what legacy he wants to leave in this place as he serves,” Ms Ward said in a searing parliamentary speech lashing Mr Fang’s behaviour.
Last year, parliament passed special rules allowing Upper House MPs to be booted from committee meetings for bad behaviour, after Mr Fang was reprimanded multiple times for interrupting proceedings.
Ms Ward’s speech was in relation to that committee’s report about Mr Fang’s behaviour, which he defended.
The latest Coalition boil-over comes just a day after Liberal and National frontbenchers buried the hatchet to join forces on a youth crime crackdown.
Last month, Liberal Leader Mark Speakman shut down a shadow cabinet meeting and stormed out when Nationals Leader Dugald Saunders tried to propose legislation to tackle a youth crime wave sweeping the regions.
The infighting created damaging divisions between the Coalition a week out from the Port Macquarie by-election.
Shadow cabinet ticked off on an amended version of the bill on Monday, with the Liberals and Nationals agreeing on a joint position.
Originally published as Blame game over who leaked top Lib’s road offending
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