NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro has not ruled out quitting politics next year as he returned to Macquarie Street after a month's mental health leave.
Mr Barilaro, the NSW Nationals leader, admitted he thought he was "never coming back" when he announced his leave amid an explosive public row with Liberal colleagues over koala habitat policy.
"I have always said by March next year I will make a decision about the long-term future of my job, my role as an MP and the member for Monaro," Mr Barilaro told reporters today.
Mr Barilaro returns to Parliament amid a continuing political storm for the Government, sparked by Premier Gladys Berejiklian's revelations last week she had been in a secret relationship with disgraced former MP Daryl Maguire.
Mr Barilaro, who is known to have a tense relationship with Ms Berejiklian, said the Premier had his full support.
"I feel for what she is going through, it is never easy when your private life is displayed for all but, yeah, I back her 100 per cent," he said.
Before taking his surprise leave, Mr Barilaro had threatened to blow up the Coalition amid a disagreement over the koala State Environmental Planning Policies (SEPP).
Mr Barilaro argued the laws went too far and said the Nationals "would become the laughing stock of regional and rural NSW" if they did not take a stand.
Some concessions were eventually agreed upon while Mr Barilaro was on leave.
They included the removal of koala area maps in the policy, and the separation of private forestry and agricultural lands from the legislation.
But Mr Barilaro did not get his wish of having trees removed from the list of species deemed necessary for koalas.
Before his leave, the Premier and her Deputy had traded a series of ultimatums over the koala SEPP, which ended in Ms Berejiklian warning she would strip Nationals ministers of their portfolios if they did not support Government legislation.
Mr Barilaro said he hit "rock bottom" while he was away from Parliament, but that he had "been slowly getting better".
"It is great to be back," he said.
"I still feel that there is some unfinished business and that is where I am at."
Mr Barilaro also apologised for driving behaviour which would see him lose his licence.
He said he had received speeding fines and another infringement for the use of a mobile phone.
"There is no question that that proves where I was at and that is why I needed to take time off," Mr Barilaro said.
"I apologise for that, we set the rules for everybody.
"I am not going to make any excuse for it."
He said his office was investigating how the traffic infringements became public knowledge.
