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| NSW police to question deputy premier John Barilaro over travel to his country property | NSW police to question deputy premier John Barilaro over travel to his country property |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Barilaro faces possible investigation as the travel may be in breach of coronavirus health orders | Barilaro faces possible investigation as the travel may be in breach of coronavirus health orders |
| New South Wales deputy premier John Barilaro will be questioned by police and faces a possible investigation over his travel between his house in Queanbeyan and a country property he owns 1.5 hours away, which may be in breach of public health orders. | New South Wales deputy premier John Barilaro will be questioned by police and faces a possible investigation over his travel between his house in Queanbeyan and a country property he owns 1.5 hours away, which may be in breach of public health orders. |
| The NSW deputy police commissioner, Gary Worboys, said the police would look into it. | The NSW deputy police commissioner, Gary Worboys, said the police would look into it. |
| “This is the first I have heard of it this morning, but we will speak to a number of people about it. Whether we commence an investigation will depend on what we found out,” he said. | “This is the first I have heard of it this morning, but we will speak to a number of people about it. Whether we commence an investigation will depend on what we found out,” he said. |
| As the Guardian reported this morning, the NSW deputy premier, John Barilaro, revealed in a press conference this week that he had travelled from his home in the suburbs of Queanbeyan/Canberra to his farm to contemplate his future before deciding not to run for the federal seat of Eden-Monaro. | As the Guardian reported this morning, the NSW deputy premier, John Barilaro, revealed in a press conference this week that he had travelled from his home in the suburbs of Queanbeyan/Canberra to his farm to contemplate his future before deciding not to run for the federal seat of Eden-Monaro. |
| “It was a decision I made on the weekend,” he told the media on Monday. “I had the opportunity at the weekend down on the farm to build a cubby house with my four-year-old. I had the opportunity to be fun and silly,” he said as he explained his decision. | “It was a decision I made on the weekend,” he told the media on Monday. “I had the opportunity at the weekend down on the farm to build a cubby house with my four-year-old. I had the opportunity to be fun and silly,” he said as he explained his decision. |
| The news that the deputy premier travelled to his property, Dungowan Estate, which is advertised on Stayz as a seven-bedroom luxury retreat available for rental, is extremely embarrassing for the deputy premier, who has led the call for people to avoid travelling to the regions. | The news that the deputy premier travelled to his property, Dungowan Estate, which is advertised on Stayz as a seven-bedroom luxury retreat available for rental, is extremely embarrassing for the deputy premier, who has led the call for people to avoid travelling to the regions. |
| He has told people to “stay home” and that people should not expect to see relatives in the regions until Christmas. | He has told people to “stay home” and that people should not expect to see relatives in the regions until Christmas. |
| On 9 April when another Liberal minister, Don Harwin, was caught travelling between his Pearl Beach beachhouse and his city residence, Barilaro led the charge calling for his resignation. | On 9 April when another Liberal minister, Don Harwin, was caught travelling between his Pearl Beach beachhouse and his city residence, Barilaro led the charge calling for his resignation. |
| He said he was “bloody angry” about Harwin’s conduct. | He said he was “bloody angry” about Harwin’s conduct. |
| “Politicians aren’t exempt from this rule and what Don Harwin has done over the last couple of weeks is unacceptable. I’m absolutely upset about it,” Barilaro said. | “Politicians aren’t exempt from this rule and what Don Harwin has done over the last couple of weeks is unacceptable. I’m absolutely upset about it,” Barilaro said. |
| “In the public eye, it looks like politicians believe they’re above the rules and above the law and we’re not.” | “In the public eye, it looks like politicians believe they’re above the rules and above the law and we’re not.” |
| Asked about his travel, Barilaro said: “There is no public health order in place in NSW that precludes someone from travelling to their farm to tend to it.” | |
| He said that after Friday 1 May in NSW two adults (and any dependent children) can visit another household. He made the trip after this date. | |
| Labor’s shadow treasury spokesman, Walt Secord, raised the deputy premier’s conduct during estimates this morning, and asked the health minister, Brad Hazzard, whether Barilaro was being “hypocritical”. | Labor’s shadow treasury spokesman, Walt Secord, raised the deputy premier’s conduct during estimates this morning, and asked the health minister, Brad Hazzard, whether Barilaro was being “hypocritical”. |
| “He [Barilaro] said he drove 125km to build a cubby house,” Secord told the inquiry. “That was his reason. I don’t see how a cubby house is essential work ... don’t you think he should be brought to account?”Hazzard said he “doesn’t have a response”. | “He [Barilaro] said he drove 125km to build a cubby house,” Secord told the inquiry. “That was his reason. I don’t see how a cubby house is essential work ... don’t you think he should be brought to account?”Hazzard said he “doesn’t have a response”. |
| “I am here to answer questions on public health,” he said. “I will not be drawn on that as it is under investigation by the police, as you just told me ... We are here to answer questions on keeping the public safe and you are only interested in playing politics.” | “I am here to answer questions on public health,” he said. “I will not be drawn on that as it is under investigation by the police, as you just told me ... We are here to answer questions on keeping the public safe and you are only interested in playing politics.” |
| A tight-lipped premier, Gladys Berejiklian, also refused to answer questions during her morning briefing. She expected her ministers “to keep their heads down and work hard” during the Covid-19 crisis. | A tight-lipped premier, Gladys Berejiklian, also refused to answer questions during her morning briefing. She expected her ministers “to keep their heads down and work hard” during the Covid-19 crisis. |