NSW Labor Party infighting continues as transport spokesman Chris Minns quits shadow cabinet and leader Jodi McKay digs in
Chris Minns #ChrisMinns
The NSW Labor leader is facing a crisis in her own party after two senior MPs – including her most dangerous rival for the leadership position – quit the shadow cabinet.
Jodi McKay says her position as leader is safe even after a defeat in a by-election at the weekend and allegations of infighting in party.
“The fact is I do have the support in the caucus,” she told the 2GB radio station on Wednesday morning.
“I am democratically elected. To challenge a person who is democratically elected by our party, simply because we had a by-election loss in a seat we were never ever going to win, is pretty extraordinary.”
While there hadn’t been a formal challenge to her leadership as of Wednesday morning, the resignation of transport spokesman Chris Minns from the shadow cabinet underscored how serious Ms McKay’s problems were.
Mr Minns, seen as a likely contender for the role as leader, was the subject of a dirt file distributed to journalists at the NSW parliament press gallery after Labor’s loss in the Upper Hunter by-election on Saturday.
Ms McKay said she had no idea the file existed until she was alerted by reporters, but revealed a staffer in her deputy Yasmin Catley’s office had stood down over its distribution.
Mr Minns cited the dirt file in his resignation notice posted to Twitter.
“I’m obviously very disappointed by news reports yesterday that a dirt dossier was distributed by the deputy leader of the Labor Party’s office,” he said.
He added that neither Ms McKay or Ms Catley had contacted him to explain what had happened.
“As a result my position in the shadow cabinet is untenable and I will resign effective immediately,” Mr Minns said.
He said he would continue as Labor member for Kogarah on the back bench.
Addressing the media at a Wednesday morning press conference, Mr Minns said “negative politics” wasn’t working for the Labor Party.
“I think the Labor Party over the last two years has been too negative. I don’t think negative politics works,” he said.
“I think there’s a real space for the NSW Labor Party, and social democratic parties around the world, to come up with the answers facing working families and working people.
“I think if you play negative politics against the government, it’s not working – and negative politics against our own isn’t working either.”
Mr Minns said he was not mounting a leadership challenge but that he would “speak to colleagues over the coming days about the best way forward.”
His resignation followed that of treasury spokesman Walter Secord on Tuesday.
Mr Secord also said the dirt file was the final straw for him.
“I can no longer serve in a Jodi McKay-led shadow ministry,” Mr Secord said in a statement.
He said that while he and Ms McKay had disagreed at times, he had been a “team player”.
“But this morning, the actions of a staff member of the deputy Labor leader distributing a file on a colleague was completely unacceptable,” Mr Secord said.
Ms Catley pledged her absolute support for Ms McKay at a press conference at the Parliament House gardens on Tuesday afternoon.
“I believe Jodi is the best person for Labor to take to the next election,” Ms Catley said.
“I believe that her integrity and her commitment to Labor is genuine, and the fact that she’s here again today shows the strength of her character.”
Labor’s Upper Hunter candidate Jeff Drayton captured 21 per cent of primary votes while Nationals candidate David Layzell secured 31 per cent.
The seat opened up after former Nationals member Michael Johnsen resigned in the wake of an allegation of sexual assault, which he denies.