NSW deputy premier John Barilaro to lose driving licence – report
The New South Wales deputy premier, John Barilaro, will reportedly lose his driving licence after a string of driving infringements in the lead up to his decision to take mental health leave last month.
The Daily Telegraph reported on Thursday that Barilaro, who took four weeks of leave from mid-September after his threat to blow up the Coalition government over plans to protect koala habitat backfired, is on the verge of losing his licence after being caught speeding while behind the wheel of a ministerial car.
Barilaro received a string of fines, including two in the week before he took leave, for speeding and using a mobile phone while driving, the Telegraph reported. He had received an earlier fine for speeding while driving his daughter to university.
A spokeswoman for the deputy premier told Guardian Australia he would “pay any fines and cop all penalties associated with the driving infringements”.
“The deputy premier is currently on mental health leave, which he has been open and transparent about,” she said.
“A number of factors over a period of time contributed to the deputy premier making the decision to take leave, including dealing with the aftermath of bushfires across the state, the prolonged drought and the death of his father. The driving offences in question did not contribute to his decision to take leave.”
The latest blow comes during a difficult period for the NSW Nationals leader. Barilaro was forced into an embarrassing backdown after he threatened to tear up the Coalition agreement unless the Liberal party revisited increased koala protections that he claimed unfairly targeted farmers.
Instead, the premier, Gladys Bere
jiklian, issued an ultimatum to either support the cabinet process or resign. Last week, with Barilaro still on leave, the acting head of the Nationals, Paul Toole, announced the two parties had reached a compromise that kept the bill largely intact.
Barilaro’s brinkmanship over the policy left many of his Liberal colleagues furious and publicly calling for him to resign. It also prompted a number of senior National members to resign from the party.