![Paul Toole and Dugald Saunders at a regional communities summit in Dubbo last year. Picture by Jude Keogh Paul Toole and Dugald Saunders at a regional communities summit in Dubbo last year. Picture by Jude Keogh](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/137578502/04e2449a-cec6-424e-bcf9-69c0eb97ff74.jpg/r1651_532_6238_3944_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Member for Dubbo Dugald Saunders has been unsuccessful in his attempt to gain leadership of the Nationals in a party room meeting at parliament today.
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All leadership positions were on the table in the first party meeting since last month's state election where the Nationals failed to gain any ground.
Mr Saunders put up his hand to challenge party leader Paul Toole - who has been in the position since 2021 following the resignation of John Barilaro - but was outvoted, a Nationals party spokesperson confirmed to the Daily Liberal.
Seven members of the 16-member party room voted for Saunders with eight voting for Toole. There was one informal vote.
"The work for the NSW National Party begins again today," Mr Toole told reporters, after Wednesday's vote.
"This is about making sure that in four years' time, we are in a position to ensure we are going after those seats [the party formerly held], whether it's Monaro, Murray, Barwon or Orange."
Relatively new to parliament, the former ABC radio presenter was first voted into the seat of Dubbo with a narrow margin in 2019 after sitting member Troy Grant retired.
Since being elected into office, he has served as the Minister for Agriculture and the Minister for Western New South Wales under Dominic Perrottet.
Before going into the party room, Mr Saunders was seen having coffee outside parliament with several MPs including former ministers Bronnie Taylor and Sarah Mitchell.
Ms Taylor, who retained her role as deputy leader of the party, downplayed the sighting as a gathering of friends.
"What's important is in the National Party, everyone gets a vote and the majority of the party room said they want Paul Toole to be their leader," she said.
"So I will absolutely back that in 100 per cent."
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