The increasingly strained relationship between the NSW and federal Liberal governments has been further inflamed after explosive and damaging texts were revealed in which former premier Gladys Berejiklian purportedly labelled Prime Minister Scott Morrison a “horrible, horrible person”.
The timing will also fuel speculation the NSW government wants to distance itself from Mr Morrison ahead of the byelections on February 12, including in Ms Berejiklian’s former seat of Willoughby. NSW will also be a critical state for the Morrison government’s re-election hopes, with a federal poll within months.At the Press Club, Network 10 political editor Peter van Onselen quoted from a text exchange he said expressed Ms Berejiklian’s distrust of the Prime Minister.
Asked by van Onselen about the messages, Mr Morrison said: “I don’t know who you’re referring to or the basis of what you’ve put to me. But I obviously don’t agree with it, and I don’t think that is my record.”In a statement released shortly after the revelations, Ms Berejiklian did not deny sending the texts but said she had “no recollection of such messages” and insisted Mr Morrison had her “very strong support”.
“I’m very disappointed, I was hoping to make this announcement standing next to the Prime Minister today and the Treasurer Frydenberg, but they’re not to be found,” Mr Kean had said.asked Mr Kean on Tuesday whether he was the unnamed minister in the purported text exchange with Ms Berejiklian about Mr Morrison, and he declined to comment.
The NSW and the federal government also clashed over funding last year during the Delta outbreak, when Dominic Perrottet - then the Treasurer - was publicly pushing for the reinstatement of JobKeeper. Mr Morrison reportedly swore at Mr Perrottet during a meeting to discuss a revamped package. On Monday, Mr Kean doubled down and said he had written to Mr Frydenberg to warn that the NSW economy was at risk of contracting by more than 3.5 per cent if more was not done to help businesses.
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Berejiklian has 'no recollection' of alleged text message exchange about PMFormer NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she does not remember whether she described Prime Minister Scott Morrison as a "horrible, horrible person". Seems GladysB doesn't remember much about anything. Must be early onset dementia Well she ain’t far from the truth TimothyHubert5 I agree he has to have cocaine psychosis.
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