Nats dump leader on eve of NSW sitting week

The NSW Coalition has started the new political term in disarray after the Nationals rolled party leader and former deputy premier Paul Toole for Dubbo MP Dugald Saunders on the eve of parliament’s first sitting week.

MPs voted to dump Mr Toole after a torrid two weeks sparked by Labor Premier Chris Minns’ offer of a plum upper house role to senior Nationals MP Ben Franklin, who is a close friend and a godfather to one of Mr Minns’ three sons.