2021 National Party of Australia – NSW leadership election
The 2021 leadership election for the National Party of Australia - NSW was held on 6 October 2021 to elect a new leader of the New South Wales Division of the National Party of Australia and subsequently the Deputy Premier of New South Wales, following the resignation of John Barilaro. The election was conducted among the National Party members of the Parliament of New South Wales and contested between Melinda Pavey and Paul Toole. Toole won the election 15 to 3. Bronnie Taylor was elected as deputy party leader, unnopposed. A separate leadership  ballot for the National Party's coalition partner, the New South Wales Liberals, was held the day before. Background. Incumbent leader and deputy premier John Barilaro announced his resignation on 4 October just days after the announcement of Gladys Berejiklian's pending resignation from the leadership of the Liberal Party of Australia (New South Wales Division) and her tenure as Premier of New South Wales. In a press conference, Barilaro said the decision to resign was for the state to have a "new beginning". Barilaro's time as Deputy Premier has seen the Nationals break off from the coalition agreement  between themselves and the Liberal Party of Australia briefly while Barilaro himself has previously indicated a desire to contest for the Division of Eden-Monaro in the Parliament of Australia which did not eventuate. Barilaro had served as the deputy premier since 2016, succeeding the previous leader Troy Grant.