Party executives considering Franklin’s future have been forced to confront the costly reality of punishing him with expulsion for accepting the position of upper house president on Tuesday.
New job:Ben Franklin takes the reins as upper house president at the opening of parliament on Tuesday.Kate Geraghty
Franklin was threatened with and possible expulsion from the Nationals if he pursued the role,which gives the Labor government an effective majority in the evenly balanced chamber.
However,MPs believe it is increasingly unlikely the former arts minister will be booted from the party over the fracas because it would mean surrendering about $38,500 a quarter,or $138,000 a year,which the Nationals receive under a NSW Electoral Commission fund for endorsed members of parliament.
The fund reimburses eligible political parties and independent members of parliament for administrative and operating expenditure incurred in a quarterly period.
Franklin defied a unanimous motion of the parliamentary party this week when he successfully nominated for president of the NSW upper house,in a move colleagues described as “treachery” and a “betrayal”.
New president of the Legislative Chamber Ben Franklin cut a lonely figure after being accused of “treachery” by his Coalition colleagues.Kate Geraghty
The role is considered a plush promotion for any member,attracting a ministerial salary,driver,private dining room and additional staff. However,the Nationals party room last week resolved that no member of the opposition should be a candidate for presiding officer positions in either chamber.
Party chair Andrew Fraser,who last week threatened to refer Franklin to the Independent Commission Against Corruption for alleged “partial conduct”,said he is still seeking advice about a potential referral.
“I intend to examine the ICAC Act and if,in my opinion,it breaches the terms related to partial conduct,I will personally refer it,with the imprimatur of my executive,if they give it,” he said.
“Based on the number of phone calls I have had,there are a number of disappointed people in the National Party.”
At least one party branch has already written to the party’s executive pushing for his expulsion. The motion,seen by this masthead,accuses Franklin of “severely damaging” the party’s interests by taking the president’s position and “thereby facilitating the passage of NSW government legislation”.
It calls on the executive to “request that Mr Franklin show cause as to why his membership of the National Party of NSW should not be cancelled”.
The party’s central executive held a meeting on Tuesday night,where it is understood Franklin’s tenure was discussed.
Franklin’s ambitions for the role triggered turmoil within the Nationals before the new parliament resumed on Tuesday after it emerged he had been urged to nominate by NSW Premier Chris Minns. The two men are close friends and Franklin is the godfather to one of Minns’s children.
While the vote for his nomination was initially delayed by parliamentary wrangling on Tuesday,Franklin was ultimately in the presiding officer’s chair by day’s end,noting the “commentary” that had surrounded the appointment.
Franklin said there was “nothing more important to having an independent and impartial umpire” in the chamber.“That is the commitment I make to every member of this chamber today,” he said at the time.
The internal brawl that erupted within the NSW Nationals over the past week,just one month after he was reelected to the position.
Toole fell victim to a leadership spill against new leader Dugald Saunders after it emerged and told him it was “a great idea”.
Franklin has been contacted for comment.
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