NSW has two new parliamentary secretaries following the removal of National Party MPs Katrina Hodgkinson and Chris Gulaptis from their regional briefs.
Ms Hodgkinson and Mr Gulaptis crossed the floor to vote against the Coalition’s Greyhound racing industry ban early Wednesday morning this week, as did Barwon MP Kevin Humphries.
Mr Gulaptis and Ms Hodgkinson will be replaced by two Nationals MPs who voted for the ban, and will get a $30,000 pay rise in their new roles.
The new parliamentary secretaries are lower house MP Adam Marshall, in the Northern NSW and Renewable Energy role, and Nationals upper house MP Bronnie Taylor, in Southern NSW and Regional Communications roles.
During the debate in parliament Nationals Leader Troy Grant praised the rebel MPs for “(speaking) with integrity and passion about the reasons they will not support this bill”.
Mr Grant also told the ABC he was “proud” of his colleagues for crossing the floor to vote against the ban.
"There is no resentment against them for doing that. I'm actually proud of them for doing that, it is not an easy thing," Mr Grant said.
This afternoon he thanked the outgoing parliamentary secretaries and welcomed the new appointments.
“I thank outgoing Parliamentary Secretaries Katrina Hodgkinson and Chris Gulaptis for their service in their roles and look forward to speaking to them both about other opportunities to best serve their communities into the future.”
“Both Adam and Bronnie will bring a renewed focus on regional NSW, ensuring the communities of northern and southern NSW have a strong voice in government.
“Adam and Bronnie both have a track record of delivering for their communities and I know they will kick goals in their new roles.”
In parliament on Tuesday Ms Hodgkinson thanked the Deputy Premier for “providing our party room with a lengthy meeting on the resumption of Parliament during which time every Nationals member ... had the opportunity to put their views forward at length, undiluted, and as robustly as he or she wished.”
This afternoon Mr Gulaptis told APN’s Daily Examiner he would not hesitate to make the same decision to cross the floor again.
"I'd do it over and over again if I was in the same situation," Mr Gulaptis told journalist Chris Calcino.
"This was not about me - it was about people in the greyhound racing industry losing their livelihoods, their sport and the dogs they love.
"This was a real core community issue."
A spokeswoman for the Deputy Premier said “(the) decision was about ensuring the strongest possible Nationals team to take the fight up to Labor and their greens mates.”
Parliament rose on Thursday and will resume on September 13. Budget estimates hearings will take place next week.
