Six years ago John Barilaro entered a charity cooking competition with his homemade lasagne crafted from a 200-year-old recipe handed down though generations of his Italian family.
After his cheesy pasta came a close second out of 50 dishes, the amateur chef and state MP for Monaro declared: ‘I’m no stranger to tight contests’. Now the New South Wales deputy premier faces the tightest contest of his life as he eyes a move into federal politics – and the stakes could not be higher.
The NSW Nationals leader, 48, would need to give up being second-in-command of Australia’s biggest state to run for the traditional ‘bellwether’ seat of Eden-Monaro after Labor MP Mike Kelly resigned for health reasons on Thursday.
Victory in the three-cornered contest would see him upgrade to the ‘A league’ of politics in Canberra where he can set his sights on eventually becoming deputy prime minster, a title which he says ‘has a nice ring to it’. But defeat would leave him unemployed.
As a no-nonsense straight-talker willing to clash with Liberal colleagues while making demands for regional Australians, Mr Barilaro has gained huge popularity among his local constituents and fellow Nationals MPs.
And he’s already secured the backing of former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce, who told Daily Mail Australia exclusively he is ‘absolutely’ the right man for the seat in south-east New South Wales.
New South Wales Deputy Premier John Barilaro (pictured with his wife Deanna, and daughters Alessia, left, Sophia, middle, and Domenica, right) could eventually become the deputy prime minister as he eyes a move into federal politics
The outspoken state Nationals leader (pictured with Premier Gladys Berejiklian), 48, has ‘all but confirmed’ he will run for the marginal seat of Eden-Monaro in southeast NSW after Labor MP Mike Kelly resigned
Master at work: John Barilaro makes his lasagne in during a community cook in 2017. It’s the same recipe he wheeled out in 2014 when he came second in a charity competition
Asked if he would support Mr Barilaro running in the by-election, Mr Joyce said: ‘Absolutely – but it won’t be easy. It’ll be a close race because three parties really want the seat.’
Commentators say Mr Barilaro could pose a threat to Nationals leader and deputy prime minister Michael McCormack, who is considered to be under-performing and only narrowly fended off a challenge from Mr Joyce earlier this year.
Mr McCormack is well aware of Mr Barilaro’s seemingly boundless ambition but on Thursday said he was not worried about the 48-year-old coming for his job.
‘If John wants to put his hand up and run, of course I’ll support him. I will support any National Party member who puts up their hand for that seat,’ he said.
Mr Barilaro has played down suggestions he could quickly lead the federal Nationals, telling 7News on Thursday that if he does make it to the House of Representatives he will be on the backbench ‘for a long time’.
Indeed, as a politician who speaks his mind and is no stranger to controversy, he would fit in well there.
Born and bred in Queanbeyan, Mr Barilaro (pictured with his family) left school to work in his father Domenico’s window frame and door manufacturer, Ryleho, which he later managed
Mr Barilaro, a married father of three daughters, entered politics in 2008 when he was elected as an independent councillor for Queanbeyan City Council
Born to Italian migrants in Queanbeyan, the 48-year-old left school to work in his father Domenico’s window frame and door manufacturer, Ryleho, which he later managed.
A passionate soccer fan, he helped found the Monaro Panthers Football Club and served as club president for eight years.
Mr Barilaro, a married father of three daughters, entered politics in 2008 when he was elected as an independent councillor for Queanbeyan City Council.
Three years later he became the state MP for Monaro representing the National Party and earned a reputation as a ‘brawler member’ – in his words – because of his combative approach to politics as a backbencher and a minister.
When he was made Nationals state leader in 2016 he declared ‘I’m a fighter’ and vowed to continue making demands for regional New South Wales even if it meant upsetting Liberal colleagues.
Nationals colleagues heaped praise on him for his work ethic, upbeat personality and for listening more closely to locals voters.
‘We’re returning to our grass roots as a party and listening to what concerns are closest to people’s heart,’ said Clarence Valley MP Chris Gulaptis after the leader visited his electorate in 2017.
Mr Barilaro (second right) attends a briefing by NSW RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons during the bushfire crisis
New South Wales Deputy Premier John Barilaro and his family with New South Wales Governor David Hurley following his swearing in at NSW Government House in Sydney in 2019
In 2018 Mr Barliaro caused a storm when he called for then prime minister Malcolm Turbull to resign.
In an interview with radio host Alan Jones, he said Mr Turnbull ‘lacked leadership’.
‘Turnbull should give Australians a Christmas gift and go before Christmas,’ he said.
The comments forced Premier Gladys Berejiklian to distance herself from her deputy, saying he was only expressing a ‘personal view’.
They also angered federal MPs. Former attorney-general George Brandis described the comments as ‘the dribblings of some obscure politician who nobody outside of NSW has ever heard of’.
Federal Nationals MP Llew O’Brien even slammed the comments, saying in a tweet that Mr Barilaro should ‘focus on his role as vice-captain of reserve grade and let the big boys and girls take care of federal matters.’
The pair reportedly exchanged some choice words about the Twitter spat at an event on the Gold Coast before locals encouraged them to walk away.
Mr Joyce, who now backs Mr Barilaro, also slammed the comments, saying: ‘I don’t think you should be criticising leadership.’
In 2019 Mr Barilaro caused controversy once more when he was accused of using a map made by animal activists to garner donations for his party.
The satellite image showed the locations of more than 5,500 farms and businesses so animal activists could target them with protests.
In a letter to supporters, Mr Barilaro mentioned the map and asked for money to help ‘protect Australian farmers’.
He wrote: ‘Activist groups like these are fuelling the Greens and Labor parties ahead of the upcoming elections.
‘That is why we need your support to fight back, support our farmers, and win in March.’
Fiona Kotvojs (pictured), a local farmer who narrowly lost to Labor in the 2019 election, told Daily Mail Australia she will run to be the Liberal candidate again and party members say they expect her to be selected
NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro meeting victims and survivors of the bushfires in Cobargo on Thursday, January 16
Federal Labor frontbencher Joel Fitzgibbon accused Mr Barilaro of political opportunism and said the Nationals ‘have no shame’.
In June last year,Mr Barilaro threatened to quit as deputy premier so he could more freely criticise the Liberal Party and demand better funding for the regions.
He said in a fiery speech at the NSW National Party conference: ‘We must be respected. We must not be taken for granted and our Coalition partners need to work harder for our support.’
The conflict came after he claimed the regions should be given more money from the sale of state assets.
Bega mayor Kristy McBain (pictured) is running for Labor and has been endorsed by leader Anthony Albanese
‘Governments spend billions in the city to shave 10 minutes off the trip to work, yet we fight tirelessly for merely a tenth of that to get clean, running water in your average household in the bush,’ he said.
Mr Barilaro said he was willing to give up his deputy role if it meant he could better serve his constituents – but in the end he stayed on.
A few months later, in September, the Nationals leader found himself in trouble when he swore at Labor MPs in parliament with school children in the public gallery.
He was being heckled while answering a question and yelled: ‘You guys are an effing disgrace,’ using the abbreviated form of the swear word.
Labor MP Ryan Park, manager of opposition business, said Mr Barilaro’s outburst ‘crossed many, many lines’.
‘He lacks the discipline for the job. He lacks the temperament for the job. Quite clearly, he shouldn’t be doing the job,’ Mr Park said.
Mr Barilaro apologised in a tweet which said: ‘During a heated debate in Parliament today I used an inappropriate expression, which I shouldn’t have. I’m sorry for any offence caused.’
Before the coronavirus crisis hit, Mr Barilaro was vocal about blaming land clearing regulations for exacerbating the bushfire crisis.
He said the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service was ‘ideologically opposed’ to hazard reduction burns to remove excess fuel.
In a column for the Daily Telegraph, he acknowledged ‘climate change is real’ and said ’emissions targets are essential in the long term’ but told Sydney residents not to blame regional voters for opposing them.
‘You want to take industries like agriculture, forestry and mining away in your ideological pursuit to net zero emissions.
‘You won’t allow us to clear our lands to be more productive or reduce fuel loads to protect life,’ he said.
The following month he again backed fossil fuel production, telling Sky News that net zero emissions by 2050 ‘would mean the end of agriculture’.
‘Our resources are important to the economy and jobs,’ he said.
Labor MP Mike Kelly (pictured in October) has been battling kidney failure which required emergency surgery in October and a further nine procedures
NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro speaks during Question Time in the Legislative Assembly at New South Wales Parliament House in Sydney in July 2019
The by-election in in southeast NSW seat will be a three-cornered contest, meaning the Nationals and the Liberals will both put up candidates against Labor.
Fiona Kotvojs, a local farmer who narrowly lost to Labor in the 2019 election, told Daily Mail Australia she will run to be the Liberal candidate again and party members say they expect her to be selected.
Bega mayor Kristy McBain is running for Labor and has been endorsed by leader Anthony Albanese.
The election is expected to take place in June or July. Labor holds the seat by a 0.9 per cent margin, making the contest extremely tight.
In the 2019 election, Labor won 39.2 per cent of first prefence votes and the Liberals won 37 per cent with the Greens on 8.8 per cent and the Nationals on seven per cent.
But Mr Barilaro hopes he could swing the seat for the Nationals, who have never held it before, by translating his healthy state support in the area into federal support and picking up the Liberal preferences.
Mike Kelly (pictured during his time in army) left in the force in 2007 and became an MP
The Liberal Party will also be hoping to snatch the seat as the Prime Minister’s poll ratings soar on the back of Australia’s success at handling COVID-19.
However, Eden-Monaro includes the bushfire-hit town of Cobargo, whose residents gave Mr Morrison a hostile reception in January.
History doesn’t favour the Coalition because a federal government has not won a seat from the opposition in a by-election since 1920. For that reason, losing the seat would be a major blow for Labor leader Anthony Albanese.
Mr Barilaro said on Friday morning that he will run the numbers over the weekend to see if he has a realistic chance of winning the seat before quitting as deputy premier.
‘We’ll look at the research, we’ll look at polling,’ he said.
‘I’m proud of what I have achieved in New South Wales and there is more for me to do here. But if there is an opportunity for me to do something on the federal political landscape, I’ll give that a lot of consideration.’