The treasurer and heavy favorite to replace Dominic Perrottet shockingly discards himself, leaving the Liberal Party leaderless after the electoral bloodbath.
NSW Treasurer Matt Kean has decided he is not interested in replacing Dominic Perrottet as Liberal leader after his party’s crushing defeat.
Kean was the heavy favorite to replace the ousted prime minister, who resigned on Saturday night when Labor secured victory.
‘I have a young family and I would love to spend a little more time with them. The election result will allow me to do that,’ she said in a shocking statement.
NSW Treasurer Matt Kean has decided he is not interested in replacing Dominic Perrottet as Liberal leader after his party’s crushing defeat.
‘Tommy recently turned three and now it’s time for me to hang out and be a father, as I continue to serve my wonderful constituents in Hornsby and the Liberal Party, although not as a leader or part of the leadership team.
‘I want to thank Dominic Perrottet for his service to the people of NSW and thank my community for their continued support. I will continue to work hard for Hornsby every day.’
Kean is a moderate member of the Liberal Party, which makes it difficult for him to gain support, but he was still expected to have the numbers.
He won many party members over with a strong campaign, despite losing ground in his own seat, something very few Liberals managed to avoid.
Some MPs in northern Sydney may think of him for helping keep teal candidates at bay, and he led a major fundraising effort.
Kean watched the election bloodbath unfold from ABC’s election night panel, and was asked if he would throw his hat into the ring.
‘No, it’s too early, I haven’t thought about it. I’ve been thinking about making sure we win this election,” she replied.
‘It’s been a really difficult job as treasurer and also as energy minister at the moment.
‘This is not an easy portfolio, full of culture, vested interests and different points of view.’
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet, NSW Treasurer Matt Kean and Riverstone Liberal candidate Mohit Kumar visit Saumyya and Rakhi Bharadwaj during the campaign.
Kean also cited his family as a reason he can’t challenge for the lead, as he did in his 5 p.m. announcement Sunday.
“Seeing what Dom Perrottet has had to carry, it makes you think about the impact it has on your family, it makes you think about the impact it has on you,” he said.
“I was a junior minister when Gladys Berejiklian was prime minister, during that campaign, and now I have been by Dom’s side during this journey, I have seen how demanding the job is for us.”
Some pundits said before his announcement that he was exhausted from the long campaign and would rather run for a federal post than become leader of New South Wales.
Kean also got into a nasty on-air argument that night with One Nation candidate Tania Mihailuk, who told him to quit politics.
‘If you are the leader of the opposition, the liberals are out for generations, for generations. Please be the leader of the opposition, we will do better,’ he said.
‘Matt Kean had big swings against him in his own seat, he has cost his own party government.
You should be thinking of resigning. Give up.’
One Nation failed to win any NSW lower house seats, despite speaking out about their chances in the run-up to the election.
More to come.
