NSW Labor 'heading for wipeout'

NSW Opposition Leader

"Whilst opinion polls come and go, what's critical is when we get to the next election people actually remove the yoke of Labor from NSW," Mr O'Farrell told ABC Radio on Wednesday.

"We'll take nothing for granted, we'll continue to be out there talking about our policies, which are not only for regional development in order to help relieve Sydney's great pains but for a greater local control in things like planning and in hospital services, education and other areas because we think that's what's needed after 15 years of the current government."

The latest Newspoll shows Labor's primary support remains at an all time low of 25 per cent compared to the Coalition, which is on 46 per cent.

Satisfaction with Premier Kristina Keneally's performance has fallen to 39 per cent, from 47 per cent in May.

However, Mr O'Farrell's rating as the better premier was 39 per cent, in line with Ms Keneally, the poll published in The Australian showed.

Mr O'Farrell said if the coalition was elected next year, the federal government-proposed Parramatta to Epping rail link would not be a priority.

"Our priority will remain building the rail links out to the southwest and the northwest," Mr O'Farrell said.

"Should we win the next election, our intention would be to sit down with whoever is in power, if it is the Gillard government... to say look, (the southwest and northwest rail links) are the initial priorities.

"Sure we want to complete the rail network, but let's get serious, let's give people sitting on the M7 and the M2, the M5, an earlier option to get out of those cars."

During the federal election campaign, Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced $2.1 billion in federal funding for a Parramatta to Epping rail link, with the state government tipping in $500 million.

But voters were sceptical that the $2.6 billion project would ever go ahead.

When asked about Liberal party preferences for the Greens in the inner Sydney seats of Marrickville and Balmain, Mr O'Farrell said that was a matter for head office.

"Normally we'd put the Labor Party last with one exception," he said.

"If One Nation are running, we put One Nation behind the Labor Party but that means there's a whole group of people in between."

Mr O'Farrell brushed aside criticism levelled at NSW senior Liberal Chris Hartcher, who was out of the country during the federal election, and Liberal powerbroker David Clarke, who has been blamed for the federal Liberals' failure to win the seats of Greenway and Parramatta.

"It's understandable when there's been a narrow margin that you'll get that sort of speculation," he said.

"What's important is after any election ... that political parties sit down, learn the lessons of the campaign and ensure that those lessons are put into practise for the next one.

"We're not going to engage in the sort of destabilisation and attacks we're seeing in the Labor Party at the present time."