New South Wales treasurer shrugs off Alan Jones’s attack and confirms she will run for top post with Dominic Perrottet as deputy

Gladys Berejiklian all but certain to be next NSW premier after rivals drop out

The New South Wales treasurer, Gladys Berejiklian, is all but certain to be the state’s next premier after her last likely rival for the job, Andrew Constance, declared he would not stand for the job.

Constance released a statement on Friday, saying Berejiklian had his full support.

“Gladys will make an excellent premier,” Constance said. “NSW should be glad to have her at the helm.

“Having spoken to my family and colleagues it is my intention to continue to serve NSW in whatever way is possible.”

Berejiklian confirmed she had spoken to Constance after Mike Baird’s surprise retirement announcement on Thursday but had declined to say whether he would stand in Monday’s spill.

“I am not assuming anything ahead of Monday morning’s meeting and, in fact, if colleagues feel they want to put their hands up – no hard feelings, it’s a democracy,” she said.

Baird's resignation: where does Magic Mike's early night leave New South Wales voters? Read more

“And I’ve made that clear to anybody, that there’s absolutely no hard feelings if people put up their hand and want to run for the leadership on Monday – competition is healthy and if people feel they want to make that contribution, they should feel free to do that.”

Robert Stokes, believed to be Berejiklian’s most serious challenger, ruled himself out of the race on Friday morning. Stokes, a factional ally of Berejiklian and a close friend of Baird, was in London when the premier made his announcement.

Earlier on Friday Berejiklian shrugged off an attack from the Sydney shock jock Alan Jones while confirming she would run for premier with the finance minister, Dominic Perrottet, as her deputy.

The incoming premier will also need to deal with an added challenge thrown up by the Nationals on Friday, after the party’s leader, John Barilaro, vowed to stop controversial local government mergers in the bush, saying the Nationals would “no longer be taken for granted”.

“The policy of local government amalgamations has impacted 20 councils, 12 of which are in regional NSW, causing uncertainty and anger, and others are locked in costly legal action – that all stops today,” Barilaro said.

Jones launched a scathing attack on Berejiklian on Friday morning, saying she lacked the ability to be premier and was a bad choice. Jones, who called into 2GB radio while on holidays, said Berejiklian appeared to have been installed through factional manoeuvring and without proper process.

He described her positioning as the next NSW premier as a “stitch-up”.

Berejiklian was asked whether it would be difficult to govern without Jones’ support.

“Look, I believe it’s hard for everybody putting up their hands for leadership in this state and nation, and it would be miraculous if everybody supported the same person. That is not what democracy is about,” she said.

“I take all of that in my stride. I have been involved in senior levels of government for a considerable period of time and six years – in the limelight for six years – has exposed me to a glimpse of what could be ahead of me if I’m successful on Monday.”

Berejiklian is in the centre of the NSW Liberal party, a faction that is closely linked with powerbroker Michael Photios. She said she had not spoken with Photios on Thursday, the day she announced her intention to stand.

“The people who will decide who the next premier of New South Wales is are my parliamentary colleagues and I respect the process and I appreciate the public will have a say on who the next premier should be in two years’ time,” she said.

Barilaro, the NSW national leader, on Friday pledged to end the merger of local councils in NSW’s regions, a policy that had been particularly damaging for the Baird government in rural seats.

Barilaro pledged to make the issue his highest priority in the coming discussions, and said the Nationals would “not be taken for granted” in cabinet discussions.

“There are no promises of portfolios – I made no deals when taking over as leader of the NSW Nationals and I won’t start now,” he said. “Everything is on the table – there are portfolios which I will be seeking as leader of the NSW Nationals and no doubt there are portfolios which the incoming Premier will be seeking.

“The NSW Nationals and regional NSW won’t be taken for granted in any future negotiations.”

New South Wales premier Mike Baird announces retirement Read more

It is unclear what that would mean for councils that have already been merged, or for those which are still fighting the amalgamations in court.

The opposition leader, Luke Foley, described Barilaro’s statement as a “search for relevance”.



“Will he do the right thing and unwind the forced mergers that have already been implemented in regional NSW, will there be one policy for the regions, one policy for the suburbs of Sydney?” he said.



“What about the central coast? What about the Hunter? What about the Newcastle/Port Stephens merger? What about the Wollongong/Shellharbour merger?

“I think there’s clearly a desire by the new Nationals leader to show they’re still relevant. Clearly they’ve been cut out of the conversation in the last 24 hours.”

Foley attacked Berejiklian for failing to answer questions about her vision for NSW during a press conference on Friday morning.

Berejiklian was asked about her priorities for NSW, and what kind of permier she would be, but said she wanted to wait until after Monday’s spill before making such comments.

She later said she was a hard worker, understood what it meant to face challenges and outlined the Baird government’s achievements.

“She can’t tell us what she stands for or wants to do, it’s extraordinary,” Foley said. “Everyone who’s put their hand up to lead the Labor or Liberal parties at state or federal level in this country for donkey’s years ... makes it clear what their core beliefs and values are, what their top priorities are.”