Nathan Rees is refusing to go quietly as the Premier of NSW and says that any leadership spill today would be about the integrity of the politics in this state.
With a leadership spill expected this afternoon, Mr Rees called his opponents a "malign and disloyal" group in comments that had the hallmarks of a politician's last as leader.
He said that he had been elected Premier unanimously 15 months ago.
He cited improvements that had been made in public transport and cleaning up the freedom of information legislation as among the highlights of his term in office.
Illawarra MPs move against Nathan Rees Read Nathan Rees' statement in fullBut he said that his ability to do good had been impaired at every turn by a group whose treachery and disloyalty could not be taken any longer.
"Should I not be Premier by the end of the day, let there be no doubt any challenger will be a puppet of Eddie Obeid and Joe Tripodi, and that is the reality," Mr Rees said.
"Throughout the past 15 months, my ability to do good has been impaired at every turn," he said.
"A maligned and disloyal group, well known to the community, has made the business of government almost impossible.
"The presence of such a group within the nation's oldest and proudest political party is intolerable.
"Their treachery and disloyalty can be borne no longer.
"For that reason, I embarked three weeks ago on a campaign to clean up NSW politics and break the hold of these malignant forces on the public life of our state."
He said he was determined to clean up politics in NSW and to restore integrity to government in NSW.
"The time for talking is over," Mr Rees said ahead of a cabinet meeting today.
Earlier this morning, Mr Rees was showing no signs of backing down.
"I'm determined to restore integrity to the Government of NSW and I will fight for that," he told the Nine Network as he left his home this morning.
Last night, Mr Rees issued a statement saying he would stand up to the challenge.
"I will not hand NSW over to Obeid, Tripodi and [Frank] Sartor," he said.
"I want to put an end to the discredited, odorous regime of donations and patronage."
Kristina Keneally, the current Planning Minister, and Mr Sartor, a former planning minister, are being touted as leadership contenders.
But Ms Keneally’s mishandling of criticism of the access that lobbyists have to senior departmental officials has undermined her credibility.
Ms Keneally was spotted in Mr Tripodi’s office this morning.
Right sources said Ms Keneally’s and Mr Sartor’s vote was about level in the 49-member Right caucus, but there were ‘‘five or 10 conscientious dissenters’’ who were sticking with Mr Rees.
Once the Right determines a candidate, that person would then run against Mr Rees at the 70-member full caucus ballot.
Mr Rees is understood to have about 19 of the 21 Left votes.
Sources said there was still a possibility that the Right might decide not to call on a spill after the comments by Mr Rees this morning that any challenger would be a puppet of Mr Obeid and Mr Tripodi.
Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard said she would not engage directly in the issue but Mr Rees had her support as premier.
‘‘Obviously, Premier Rees in my view, has been doing a great job in the state of NSW,’’ Ms Gillard told reporters in western Sydney.
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