ANGER over NSW’s hard lurch leftwards has spilled into public view, with voters expressing disgust at the Berejiklian government’s Greens-inspired policy agenda.
The government’s direction has become so unpalatable that its Nationals coalition partner has announced it would move to the cross bench en masse.
Since winning the 2019 NSW election on a dominantly infrastructure-led platform, the NSW government has since unleashed a raft of extreme Left-wing social and environmental policies onto a startled electorate.
STEALTH
Most recently these have included the introduction of late-term abortions, 100 per cent renewable energy targets, an attempt to soften bestiality laws as well as turning a blind eye to the re-introduction “by stealth” of radical gender theory into public classrooms.
The last straw for the Nationals, which holds 13 of the Coalition’s 48 seats, is the government’s latest State Environmental Planning Policy – branded as a koala habitat protection measure – which they claim will devastate regional development opportunities.
Announcing yesterday that the entire Nationals parliamentary team would move to the cross benches, Nationals leader John Barilaro said the environmental planning policy was poorly drafted and without consultation.
“It goes too far and will prevent farmers and landowners from managing their own properties,” he said.
“It will prevent them from building a driveway or another feed shed.”
The Nationals leader, who provides the Berejiklian government with its single seat majority, said while he would sit on the cross benches and block government bills, he did not intend to unseat the Coalition from power.
Fatigued centre-right voters took to social media overnight offering support to the Nationals’ “principled” position. Of the thousands of comments reviewed, almost all backed Barilaro.
WOKE LEFTIES
“I’m a lifelong Liberal voter … never again. Environment Minister Matt Kean and Berejiklian are a disgrace on these issues. How does a Liberal government think they can trample on property ownership and rights…,” wrote Dan in the Daily Telegraph’s comments section.
“Doesn’t Gladys realise that she can’t govern without the Nats. Time to rid the Libs of all the woke Lefties and get back to middle ground Gladys. Don’t issue ultimatums or threats; you’ll be the big loser when you don’t have the numbers,” wrote Average Joe.
Ross wrote: “So does Gladys actually understand the principles of democracy? The Nationals have been elected by their constituents to represent their best interests and, as far as I can see, that is what the Nationals are doing. This display of arrogance puts Gladys at the same level as Andrews and Palaszczuk.”
“Time to install Barilaro as premier, we did do not want the Left running our State! Time to clean out Michael Photios and his band of Left leaning green moderates. They do not represent the community. We need to get back to promotion based on merit not factional warlords!,” according to Karen.
Andrew wrote: “So the Nationals finally stand up to the Liberals. About time Barra, as it’s time the Left wing greenie members of the Liberals were told there is no room in the Party for members of that type. Keep telling them not in your backyard until wind farms start appearing along northern beaches of Sydney.”
WATERMELON
“The Nats are right. A handful of watermelon city liberals controlled by Photios have had too much say for too long,” commented Ricardo.
While Angelo58 wrote: “It’s a shame it takes a stunt like this to really highlight the problem: the Libs are Greens in disguise, alienating their Liberal base but with no hope of ever securing real Green votes. Minister Stokes is Minister for No Planning and only adheres to his chardonnay set on the North Shore, ignoring how his tree hugger policies impact the regions. Well, sometimes, when you keep ignoring people, they throw a hissy fit. Go Barra!”
“If John Barilaro and his mates back down and abandon the farmers it just proves they think more of lining their pockets than the people they are supposed to represent. Time for Barilaro to prove he has more than just a big mouth,” RobertJ wrote.PC
STOP PRESS – 10am Sept 11: In a dramatic backflip, Nationals leader John Barilaro has told the NSW Premier his Party will remain in the coalition until the 2023 election, less than an hour after Party sources said they would stand firm on their threats.
Nationals can never have a premier as they are a junior party. They will remain this way with poor leadership.
Given a choice I would rather have Koalas than the Nationals, who should really be called the Parochials.
I am not a Green Leftie. I am a staunch Constitutional Monarchist, voted against same sex marriage, am horrified by the influence of the ‘woke’ brigade and am by nature conservative. As such I am very concerned about the rate at which we are wiping out other species and would prefer not to see Koalas added to the length list.
Nor am I impressed by a supposed leader who offers a challenge and then backs down completely as soon as his bluff is called. I can’t see the National party ministers wanting to lose the pay and perks of office.
I voted liberal as I have conservative views and I am appalled that the NSW premier has left/ green views. If I wanted a green leftie to run the state I would have voted accordingly. Gladys, you are turning your back on the silent majority who are right of centre. Don’t jeopardise the coalition by continuing this way. If it continues I will turn to One Nation, a party more in line with my views than you appear to be!
There is no doubt Berejiklian has betrayed Liberal voters with her left leaning policies and must go at the next election. She is a total disappointment and should resign over the Ruby Princess debacle anyway and take Hazzard with her. She is also the the worst and softest Premier on crime we have ever had in N.S.W.
Yes her Strata laws are window dressing when it comes to drug users allowing smoke drift to affect other neighbouring units. I have had to move 4 times in the last 20 months because of it or be affected by the drug smoke because I couldn’t get any help to counter the practice! And before Gladys, the 2 Manly Daily runs I used to work did not have drug users. Now one smells the tell tale smell of Marijuana at an increasing number of homes. Obviously that is their escape.
How many other laws are just window dressing without enforcement powers given to the relevant other areas such as police as in this instance?
I’ve always voted for the Conservative Liberal Party and will stay with Morrison & Co. as long as they stick to their stated right-wing agenda; however, many of the Berejiklian Government’s policies now seem not much better than the Labor/Greens Crowd! So for whom does a Conservative vote in two year’s time?
After some pertinent reading and research, I find I agree with 95% of the policies of Parliamentary action-man Mark Latham, NSW leader of the One Nation Party. The problem is, that although Latham is trying hard to have his sensible policies implemented, he is really up against it and he doesn’t have any candidates in the NSW Lower House, the Legislative Assembly.
Mark Latham will have another ONP MLC sitting with him after the 2023 election, in an increasingly fractured Upper House. Going Left with the agenda is a fool’s errand. It never translates into more votes. The Green/Left game is to cuddle up to Matt and friends, stroke their egos, but never deliver an extra vote at the ballot box. If Matt’s still around when we surrender the treasury benches to ALP/Green, he might look back see how it all went so wrong. Or not.