If Luke Foley is nervous about a looming rank and file preselection battle in the western Sydney seat of Auburn, he's not showing it.
Mr Foley, 44, is poised to become NSW Labor's newest leader after his competition - shadow treasurer Michael Daley and opposition police spokesman Steve Whan - withdrew from the race this week ahead of Monday's crucial caucus ballot.
If successful, Mr Foley, who's an upper house MP, has indicated he will then push to become the ALP's candidate for the lower house seat of Auburn, currently held by Labor's Barbara Perry.
Ms Perry has so far refused to back down from a preselection battle with Mr Foley.
But Mr Foley's confident Labor's rank and file will install him as their candidate in Auburn.
"I have good relations with the party members generally and with party members in the Auburn electorate," he told reporters.
"I know the community well, I know the party members well, and it's important I respect the party members.
Mr Foley said if elected leader he would speak to Ms Perry about the situation in Auburn and "see what eventuates".
"I am totally relaxed with Barbara continuing with her nomination at this point in time," he said.
The opposition environment spokesman said he would ask the Labor Party to reopen nominations for Auburn if he won next week's ballot.
He also confirmed that acting NSW Labor leader Linda Burney would be his deputy if he was elected.
He rejected Liberal claims he was being installed as leader by "faceless men" in Labor's back office.
"It's a tired old refrain," Mr Foley said, adding that he wanted NSW to be Australia's social and economic leader.
"It's possible to be both the economic powerhouse and the social conscience of Australia, that's my vision for NSW," he added.
NSW is due to go to the polls in March, with the Mike Baird-led coalition heavily favoured to be returned.
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