The New South Wales deputy premier, John Barilaro, has quit state politics, saying NSW needs a “new beginning” and that he had been thinking of leaving for some time.
Barilaro will immediately resign from the role of deputy premier and will leave parliament, triggering yet another byelection for the NSW government.
A party room meeting will be held to choose a new leader on Wednesday with the water minister, Melinda Pavey, the regional roads minister, Paul Toole, and the agriculture minister, Adam Marshall, expected to stand. Bronwyn Taylor, the mental health minister, who is now in the upper house, is expected to run in Barilaro’s seat of Monaro and could also put her hand up.
The Nationals leader automatically becomes deputy premier under the NSW Coalition agreement, and Pavey said on Monday she had “what it takes” and “can be a good National Party leader, a good coalitionist, and be very dedicated to getting NSW through Covid”.
Barilaro has ruled out a move to federal politics. He had signalled an interest in running for the federal seat of Eden-Monaro last year when a byelection occurred, but pulled out.
Announcing his decision at a press conference on Monday, he also refused to directly answer questions about whether he was under investigation by the Independent Commission Against Corruption.
“If that was the case, I wouldn’t be allowed to comment anyway,” he said. “As I said, I just don’t make any comments around the Icac. The weeks, the months ahead, let’s see what occurs. Today I have decided to go on my accord.”
It has been reported that Barilaro has been subpoenaed to give evidence to Icac in relation to the current investigation involving Gladys Berejiklian, which prompted her shock resignation as premier last Friday.
The Icac issued a statement that it was investigating whether the premier had breached her public duty in awarding two grants to the seat of Wagga Wagga. At the time she was in a secret relationship with the local MP Daryl Maguire, who has admitted to Icac in earlier hearings that he used his public office for personal gain. He has since resigned.
Barilaro, who dubbed himself Pork-barrellaro, has come under parliamentary scrutiny over his administration of grants programs to regional NSW.
He said he had decided to go after 10 and a half years in politics, citing the toll a defamation action had taken. He is suing the YouTube comedian Jordan Shanks, also known as Friendlyjordies.
“I’m leaving today because of the very reasons that I’ve said earlier that it’s time because of the 10 and a half years, the defamation case, definitely playing a big part of this,” he said, adding: “Serving as deputy premier of NSW, as leader of the NSW Nationals and as the member for Monaro has been the honour and privilege of a lifetime.”
Barilaro said he had few regrets, and he had always fought hard for regional Australia, but he did cite last year’s internal brawl about koala laws as a low moment.
The Coalition came to the brink of collapse and Barilaro took a month way from parliament on mental health leave.
He highlighted his role in designing the government’s roadmap out of lockdown as one of his achievements, as well as his leadership role during the bushfires in 2019, alongside Berejiklian.
The loss of Barilaro continues a remarkable and tumultuous time for the NSW government. The state has now lost its premier and deputy premier as it attempts to navigate a path out of its lengthy lockdown and prolonged Covid-19 outbreak.
It follows the departure of Berejiklian, and a key moderate, Andrew Constance, the transport minister, who is preparing for a tilt at federal politics.
NSW is now facing at least two byelections in Monaro and Willoughby, Berejiklian’s seat. Constance has previously said he will stay in his seat of Bega until the end of the parliamentary session this year, because the pandemic wasn’t “the time for byelections”.
The Nationals held the seat of Monaro comfortably at the last election but it has been marginal in the recent past.
Barilaro has previously toyed with the idea of leaving NSW politics. During the Koala crisis he said he thought he might be “never coming back” to politics. In October last year, when he returned to parliament, he said he may yet still leave NSW politics and there have been rumours he has been seeking another job in the private sector.
A number of sports administration positions have been mooted.
On Sunday factional power brokers arrived at a deal to install the current treasurer, Dominic Perrottet, and the jobs minister, Stuart Ayres, as Liberal leader and deputy respectively.
The environment minister, Matt Kean, had been touted as a possible deputy. But he now looks likely to become the state’s treasurer.
Perrottet said on Monday he was “deeply saddened” to lose Barilaro from the parliament.
“However I know it is a decision John has been considering for some time, and I understand and support him in his decision,” he said.
Federal Nationals leader and deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce said Barilaro’s success was in part because he was “not a cookie-cutter politician”.
“John has served the party well and leaves at the top, at a time of his choosing,” he said.