Outspoken former MP Ross Cameron faces being suspended from the Liberal party for five years, following a television interview in which he savaged Treasurer Gladys Berejiklian.
In an interview with Sky News last month, Mr Cameron accused the Treasurer of sabotaging the party's prospects of democratic reform, because she was either committed to authoritarian rule or manoeuvring to replace Mike Baird as premier.
More National News Videos
- Video duration
- 02:14
Factional turmoil in NSW Liberals
Factional turmoil in NSW Liberals
There is factional unrest and machinations within the New South Wales Liberal Party. Michael Koziol takes us behind the scenes.
Up Next
Trailer: Who killed Josh?
- Video duration
- 00:45
- Video duration
- 00:45
Trailer: Who killed Josh?
Trailer: Who killed Josh?
Nine's 60 Minutes on Sunday night looks at why a mother is fighting to have her son's convicted killer set free? Vision: Channel Nine
Up Next
Horror crash kills three near Bundaberg
- Video duration
- 00:40
- Video duration
- 00:40
Horror crash kills three near Bundaberg
Horror crash kills three near Bundaberg
Queensland's road toll for the year has risen to 241 deaths as three young men died in a crash in Bucca. (Video courtesy: Network Seven)
Up Next
Sydney University receives record $35m donation
- Video duration
- 00:50
- Video duration
- 00:50
Sydney University receives record $35m ...
Sydney University receives record $35m donation
The University of Sydney will build part of a new health precinct with a record $35m donation from Susan and Isaac Wakil in April.
Up Next
Turnbull restates support for republic
- Video duration
- 00:53
- Video duration
- 00:53
Turnbull restates support for republic
Turnbull restates support for republic
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has restated his support for an Australian republic at a dinner marking the 25th anniversary of the Australian Republican Movement.
Up Next
US prefers peace but 'will act if confronted'
- Video duration
- 01:56
- Video duration
- 01:56
US prefers peace but 'will act if ...
US prefers peace but 'will act if confronted'
United States Pacific Command Admiral Harry Harris issues a firm warning to "an increasingly assertive China" amid territorial disputes in the South China Sea. Courtesy ABC News 24.
Up Next
Kids learn computer code at summer camps
- Video duration
- 00:46
- Video duration
- 00:46
Kids learn computer code at summer camps
Kids learn computer code at summer camps
It's a little different to the traditional summer camp as children as young as 6 or 7 learn computer coding over their summer holidays.
Up Next
Seven-vehicle crash in Sydney's east
- Video duration
- 00:24
- Video duration
- 00:24
Seven-vehicle crash in Sydney's east
Seven-vehicle crash in Sydney's east
A 71-year-old man is in serious condition after crashing his Mercedes into six other cars in Rushcutters Bay on Friday. Vision: Channel Seven.
Factional turmoil in NSW Liberals
There is factional unrest and machinations within the New South Wales Liberal Party. Michael Koziol takes us behind the scenes.
Mr Cameron made the comments shortly before the state Liberal party plebiscite issue was due to be debated by the NSW state council.Â
The NSW Liberal party executive voted on Friday night to give Mr Cameron 28 days to show cause why he should not be suspended from the party, which forbids members from discussing party matters with the media.
A defender of Mr Cameron argued he should not be suspended on the grounds that nobody had seen the offending footage because it was on Sky News.
"How can you breach him for breaking the media rules when no one watches Sky News?" the defender said.
"You can't call it media."
Mr Cameron is prominent among a group of right faction MPs agitating to change the way candidates are preselected to give all branch members a vote, while the left and centre-right factions argue that such a system would lead to branch stacking.
Ms Berejiklian is a member of the dominant left faction.
Mr Cameron told Sky Television he was "fully dirty with Gladys Berejiklian".
"Now I'm saying that if Gladys Berejiklian wants to destroy democratic reform, either because that's her genuine personal view that she wants to retain an authoritarian party or because she thinks that she will be able to replace Mike Baird with the benefit of factional numbers in a secret backroom deal ... we are at risk of tearing ourselves apart."
The right wing push for a plebiscite is the single most divisive issue facing the Liberal party after the Abbott/Turnbull loyalty split.
Mr Cameron also singled out federal MPs Marise Payne, Trent Zimmerman, Julian Leeser​ and Jason Falinski for standing in the way of the plebiscite.
He said on Saturday that he stood by his comments and would fight the suspension, on the grounds that such a move was contradictory to democracy.
"An organisation that expels people for telling the truth has got a limited life expectancy," he said.
"I don't try to calibrate my remarks around the vicissitudes of the ruling members of the party.
"I call it as I see it."