The divisions within Premier Gladys Berjiklian's government are beginning to show following Liberal MLC Catherine Cusack's shock resignation as parliamentary secretary.
The premier's office announced it had accepted Ms Cusack's resignation on Thursday afternoon after an explosive email was leaked to the media.
The email, sent by Ms Cusack to the premier following a factional meeting on Wednesday night, strongly criticised the makeup of Ms Berejiklian's new cabinet.
“If the situation was not already offensive enough ... if you ever say again you made these decisions ‘on merit’, I swear I will resign from the Liberal Party and join the cross bench," Ms Cusack reportedly wrote.
She also took aim at Energy Minister Don Harwin, whose controversial promotion to cabinet has already ruffled feathers within the party.
"He's easily flustered; he's wafer thin skinned. This is all resulting in gross embarrassment in the upper house," Ms Cusack said in the letter, according to Network Ten.
Mr Harwin is one of Ms Berejiklian's key backers and his cabinet debut was widely believed to be a result of factional deals.
Mr Harwin has declined to comment.
The premier's one-line statement on Thursday offered no explanation for Ms Cusack's decision to step down.
"I have this afternoon accepted the offer of resignation from Catherine Cusack MLC as parliamentary secretary,” Ms Berejiklian said.
Ms Cusack took over the role from Scot MacDonald in the January reshuffle that followed Mike Baird’s shock decision to quit politics.
She was also parliamentary secretary for education.
Comment is being sought from Ms Cusack.
