Goulburn MP Pru Goward has lamented Premier Mike Baird’s announcement to retire next week.
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“I am shocked he is leaving,” Ms Goward told the Goulburn Post.
“He was a great friend and good company. I will miss him very much.”
Ms Goward said while the pair did not agree on everything, Mr Baird’s contribution to NSW had been significant.
“We might have disagreed on greyhounds, but he was a great Premier and he got the state moving again,” she said.
“He got the Budget back on track from the terrible state it had been in.
“He was a very nice man. I am overwhelmed and shocked that he is leaving, but he has made his contribution.”
Mr Baird cited family illness for the need to "refresh" the government before the 2019 election as among the reasons for his retirement at a press conference.
Mr Baird has spent 10 years in public life, with three years as NSW Treasurer and three years as Premier.
A Liberal partyroom meeting and a spill of leadership positions will be held next week. Mr Baird will resign from the NSW Parliament following that meeting.
NSW Treasurer Gladys Berejiklian has confirmed she will be contesting the leadership.
Ms Goward said she would be supporting Ms Berejiklian in her bid to become the next Premier.
“I hope Gladys will be the next Premier. I will be backing her,” Ms Goward said.
“She is economically sharp and resourceful. She thinks about everything.”
Deputy Premier John Barilaro, who only learnt about Mr Baird's resignation through the media this morning, said most people in politics would love to have delivered the legacy that Mr Baird did.
"As a cabinet minister and a former backbencher I have always looked to Mike as a strong leader, one that inspired me, one that I believe brought the best out of all members of the coalition to deliver for their community and I think that is something that is rare in politics," Mr Barilaro said.
"I don't hide from the challenge that I see now, to carve out a new narrative and a new opportunity for regional NSW.
"I think the narrative that's been lost is that the Liberal party hasn't cared for regional NSW. I think that's perception not reality, that was reflected in the Orange byelection but we have an opportunity with a new leader, a new team to make sure that people understand what we're doing."
On whether he could work with Gladys Berejiklian, Mr Barilaro said: "I think the question will be, can the media pronounce 'Berejiklian-Barilaro government'?".
Seen first on the Sydney Morning Herald online.