Luke Foley ahead as preferred premier as Coalition neck and neck with Labor

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Gladys Berejiklian’s New South Wales government is neck and neck with Labor just six months before the next state election, a new poll shows.

The results come as a “civil war”, waging between two senior members of the government, is referred to the corruption watchdog.

The ReachTel poll published on Sunday also shows the Coalition’s primary vote has plunged to 28.6%, compared with Labor’s 31.5%.

NSW police minister faces calls for inquiry over watchdog appointments Read more

The opposition leader, Luke Foley, is also polling ahead of Berejiklian with 50.2% naming him their preferred premier.

The poor poll showing reflects the government’s disastrous loss in the Wagga Wagga byelection and a fallout from the federal leadership issues that led to the downfall of Malcolm Turnbull.

When asked if the federal turmoil had changed their view of the state wing of the Liberals, 40.4% of voters said “yes”.

Berejiklian’s government faces a leadership challenge of its own.

The multiculturalism minister, Ray Williams, has been warned he will be dumped from the frontbench if he continues to push back against the NSW treasurer and deputy Liberal leader, Dominic Perrottet.

The internal spat began when Perrottet, the member for Hawkesbury, announced he would challenge Williams for his old seat in Castle Hill.

A spill motion, moved by Williams or an allied backbencher, is expected to be moved on Tuesday unless Perrottet backs down.

Labor, on Sunday morning, announced it would refer the dispute to the Independent Commission Against Corruption after rumours emerged Williams was offered an overseas posting in exchange for relinquishing Castle Hill.



“If a backroom deal has been done to allow the treasurer to oust a colleague for his seat because he doesn’t like the commute, then the public needs to know and it should be stopped,” Labor’s Walt Secord said. “Trading seats for jobs is wrong.”

The Liberal party, earlier this month, lost its six-decade stranglehold on the seat of Wagga Wagga to independent Joe McGirr.

The byelection saw Berejiklian take responsibility for the near-30% negative swing.