Standing down: Deputy Premier Troy Grant. Credit:Jessica Hromas He would not nominate a potential new leader to replace Mr Grant, but names being discussed include Lands Minister Niall Blair and Skills Minister John Barilaro. The call comes as another senior Nationals MP, Kevin Humphries, branded the party's poor showing in the Orange byelection a "wake-up call" for Mr Grant, warning that if he and others don't accept the need for change "he would struggle to stay as leader". Mr Humphries, the member for Barwon, said the byelection result was not about a single issue such as the decision to shut down the greyhound industry - later reversed - or council amalgamations in the area. Rather it was symptomatic of the party leadership - which comprises Mr Grant, Education Minister Adrian Piccoli and Roads Minister Duncan Gay - being "out of their depth".

Mike Baird is flanked by Deputy Premier Troy Grant as he announces the greyhound racing ban backdown in October. Credit:Wolter Peeters "There's a disconnect and inexperience among the leadership," he said. "Whether it's the greyhounds decision or the stalled decentralisation policy, for our leadership to think this is an aberration is very naive. 2GB radio host Ray Hadley supported Shooters, Fishers and Farmers candidate for Orange, Philip Donato. "Reforms in general have been very difficult and the Nationals have not been able to present a clear way forward over the next five to 10 years."

But Mr Piccoli hit back, pointing out that Mr Humphries was lands and water minister for four years and "couldn't deliver" outcomes on core Nationals issues such as an overhaul of native vegetation laws or water reform. Spill motion: Nationals MP Andrew Fraser. Credit:Ben Rushton "Now we've got native vegetation legislation [in the Parliament] this week and we're close to sorting out the Murray Darling basin plan," Mr Piccoli said. "Since Troy's been leader, we've moved an enormous way towards achieving them." Mr Piccoli dismissed Mr Fraser's planned spill motion. "It won't get up; they don't have the numbers," he said. The Nationals have suffered a 35 per cent swing against them on the primary vote in the byelection held on Saturday.

Counting continues on Sunday, with Nationals candidate Scott Barrett at serious risk of losing to Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party candidate Philip Donato, despite the seat being held on a 21.7 per cent margin by the Coalition partner. Mr Humphries noted that Mr Grant holds the neighbouring electorate of Dubbo and argued "he should have been all over it" in relation the the opposition surfacing in Orange. "The opposite happened. They kept him out of it." Asked if the result increased the likelihood of Mr Grant losing the leadership, Mr Humphries said: "All I'd say is that more of the same is not possible. "A swing of 35 per cent is double that of the average byelection. It's not a poke in the eye. It's a poke in the eye and a kick in the pants. People meant it."

He said Nationals MPs Katrina Hodgkinson and Chris Gulaptis, who crossed the floor with him on the vote to shut down the greyhound industry, "took responsibility for their actions" and were demoted as parliamentary secretaries as a result. "The leader and one or two others should be doing the same thing," he said. However, Mr Humphries believed Mr Grant and others in the leadership group "should be given the courtesy of addressing the party and putting their point of view first". This would most likely happen at a party room meeting scheduled for Tuesday. "If there's not radical change and an acceptance that it's not a one-off, if he doesn't want to accept that and take advice, he would struggle to stay as leader," he said. Mr Fraser said the Orange result was about three issues: leadership, the greyhound racing ban and council amalgamations.

His said his push for new leadership was "about having a whole new paradigm. Let's go and represent our people". Mr Piccoli said the Orange byelection "was always going to be very difficult in the middle of a second term". "Certainly there are lessons from Orange," he said. "There was angst over the greyhounds and the government admitted it got it wrong." Mr Piccoli said that "good government isn't perfect government. But I'd say the fundamentals around health, education, roads and jobs are very, very good." He noted that, at the 2015 state election under the current Nationals leadership group, the party won 18 of the 20 seats it contested.

Mr Grant said he expected to remain leader of the NSW Nationals until the next election in 2019. Loading "The final byelection result isn't known but the count so far delivers a strong message," he said on Sunday. "The message for Macquarie Street is clear: Government is there to support communities and, otherwise, should just get out of people's lives."