Paul Toole has been elected as the New South Wales National Leader and Deputy Premier defeating Water Minister Melinda Pavey, 15 votes to 3 in a leadership ballot on Wednesday morning.
A former school teacher, Mr Toole served as councillor for the Bathurst region for 16 years, before becoming mayor in 2007, he then entered state parliament in 2011 and was appointed Minister for Local Government in 2014, followed by Minister for Lands and Forestry in 2017, and finally Minister for Regional Transport and Roads in 2019.
"I want to make sure we get back to work and it's business as usual because the people of this state have been doing it tough now for a number of years," Mr Toole told reporters, referencing the COVID-19 pandemic but also drought, bushfires, and floods.
"What's important here is that we actually get on with the job," Mr Toole said.
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