John Barilaro named NSW Nationals leader, with Niall Blair his Deputy

UPDATED 11am: REGIONAL Development and Skills Minister John Barilaro says he will work to regain the trust of rural communities after replacing Troy Grant as leader of the NSW Nationals this morning.  

Mr Grant stepped down at this morning’s party room meeting, with Mr Barilaro stepping into the breach.

Primary Industries Minister Niall Blair replaces Adrian Piccoli as the party’s deputy leader. 

Mr Barilaro thanked his National Party colleagues for the honour and paid tribute to Mr Grant, who stepped down after the party’s disastrous showing at the weekend’s Orange byelection.

“I am proud of what the NSW Nationals have achieved so far, building the hospitals, roads and schools our communities need to keep them strong,” Mr Barilaro said.

“But I know there is much more work to do to regain the trust and rebuild the reputation of the NSW Nationals.”

Mr Barilaro is MP for the swinging Monaro electorate, which he held in 2015 on a narrow margin of 5 per cent (two-party preferred basis).

The man known on Macquarie Street as ‘Barra’ began his political career as an independent councillor on the Queanbeyan City Council in 2008, before running for the Nationals in Monaro in 2011 and winning the seat from Labor’s Steve Whan.  

Mr Barilaro was elevated to cabinet following the resignation of Andrew Stoner in 2014 as Minister for Small Business and the Minister for Regional Tourism. 

After the 2015 election he took on the role of Minister for Regional Development, the Minister for Skills, and the Minister for Small Business.

Mr Blair, a former NSW Nationals chairman, beat stalwart Coffs Harbour MP Andrew Fraser in a ballot for the deputy leader position. 

Mr Fraser said on Sunday he would move a spill motion against the Deputy Premier and called on Mr Grant to "walk away" from the party leadership.

Mr Blair said he looked forward to further building on the great work the Nationals have already achieved.

“I am extremely honoured to have been elected as Deputy Leader of the only political party which truly represents the core values of regional NSW,” Mr Blair said.

“We need to reflect on the outcome of the by-election in Orange but we also need to get on with the job of delivering for our communities.”