Andrew Stoner ‘too happy’ fixing NSW to go Federal to help Tony Abbott

andrew stoner

Andrew Stoner and his wife Cathy at Parliament House in Sydney, the day after the NSW State election which gave the Coalition a massive victory over Labor.
Source: The Daily Telegraph




REJECTING claims he wants a crack at Canberra to possibly become Tony Abbott’s No. 2, Andrew Stoner yesterday took to the Twittersphere to vow: “Enjoying my job as Deputy Premier of NSW too much to be thinking about going federal.”


The NSW Nationals leader had reportedly been asked by some people in his party to take on independent MP Rob Oakeshott in his seat of Lyne, and had the backing of Opposition Leader Tony Abbott.

But Mr Stoner insisted NSW was his priority and he had no interest in the job of federal Nationals leader Warren Truss.

“I have no plans to move to federal politics,” he said. “Tony Abbott, Warren Truss and the federal Coalition are doing a fantastic job.

“The job is only just beginning in turning around NSW, and I will continue in my role as Deputy Premier alongside Premier Barry O’Farrell,” he said.

The comments came as Mr Truss yesterday said his NSW counterpart should concentrate on his present job of rebuilding NSW.

“I would have thought that was an important job and there’s a heck of a lot that needs to be done in NSW,” he added.

Yet Mr Truss confirmed he “can’t go on forever”, amid speculation Mr Stoner or Barnaby Joyce could be headed for the federal house of representatives in a bid to become deputy prime minister should Mr Abbott be elected.

“None of them have suggested that there would be an early changeover but it’s good to have a wide field of talent in the lower house because I can’t go on forever,” Mr Truss said.

Opposition Leader John Robertson described Mr Stoner as having “a hide” in allowing the speculation to flourish.

“The idea he could seriously be flirting with Canberra is an absolute joke,” he said. “This is a man who has not even mastered the job of deputy premier. Now he’s got tickets on himself and wants to be deputy PM.”

 

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