Speakman defended the decision to promote Petinos back into his opposition cabinet,insisting she was articulate,talented and energetic:“She’s hard-working … All of us learn life lessons.”
Neither former premier Dominic Perrottet nor former planning minister Anthony Roberts will play a role in the shadow cabinet. However,Toole will stay on as opposition police spokesman despite the Nationals party room turfing him as leader less than 24 hours earlier.
Dugald Saunders,who snatched the leadership from Toole with 10 votes to five on Monday,said he did not pretend the party was “all happy-happy-joy-joy” after a difficult few days.
“We’re adults. We do need to get on with the job and I’ll be providing as much support and friendship as I can to Paul and the rest of the party room,” he said.
“I made the offer[for shadow police minister]. He’s accepted it. He’s obviously got experience in that portfolio. And I thought it was a good way of keeping him involved in that portfolio.”
The leadership spill was prompted by theHerald’s revelations Nationals MP Ben Franklin hadinformed Toole of his intention to nominate for the upper house role weeks before it became public.
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A close friend of Premier Chris Minns and the godfather of one of his children,Franklin was lambasted last week by his colleagues for considering the position,with one accusing him of “treachery”.
Among his critics was Toole,who told media he had only spoken to the former arts minister about the role last week,labelling the move “distressing” and saying it “could be seen as disloyalty”.
Deputy Nationals leader Bronnie Taylor on Tuesday said it had been a tough day for the party,changing leaders so soon after Toole was reinstated,but insisted it was necessary.
“I worked with Paul,I was his deputy leader. It was a very difficult day for the Nationals yesterday,” she said.
Taylor added that the party felt “betrayed” by Franklin for persisting with his ambitions for upper house president,which will give Labor an effective majority in the evenly balanced upper house.
“Whatever adjective we use to describe that is different,but we do feel betrayed,and we do feel disappointed. And I,particularly,on a personal level,feel very let down,” she said.
Franklin defied his own party and was elected as president of the NSW upper house on Tuesday,despite an earlier threat that it could trigger his expulsion from the party.
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