Three Berejiklian government ministers have been ordered by the NSW Parliament to produce all correspondence received from NSW Nationals MPs over the koala protection laws that have pushed the coalition to the brink.
A motion that passed in a late night sitting of the Upper House on Sept 16, gives Deputy Premier John Barilaro, Planning Minister Rob Stokes and Environment Minister Matt Kean, seven days to provide the documents.
Independent MP Justin Field moved the motion after media reports suggested Stokes received just a single representation from Barilaros office regarding the hotly contested SEPP laws and it came from a property developer – not a farmer or farming group.
“John Barilaro and the NSW National Party were prepared to rip apart the coalition over what they have claimed is a major issue in the bush,” Field said in a statement on Thursday.
“The community deserves to know who Nationals MPs are actually lobbying for. At the moment it looks like its for property developers,” he said.
The motion came after Barilaro survived a motion of no confidence in the lower house earlier in the day.
The outspoken Nationals leader put himself in the firing line last week when he threatened to implode the coalition government if concessions on the states koala protection policy were not made.
He backed down on plans to move his MPs to the cross bench after Premier Gladys Berejiklian gave him an ultimatum to support her government, otherwise Nationals ministers would be sacked from cabinet.
She reportedly privately told him she was disgusted with his behaviour, but several of the governments senior ministers spoke publicly of their anger and embarrassment.
Before the no confidence motion was considered on Wednesday, Barilaro was given the opportunity to repent, but he denied his actions were wrong and refused to rule out threatening the coalition again.
Neither the premier nor any Liberal ministers remained in the chamber to defend thRead More – Source
