Malcolm Turnbull should resign, says NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro

Malcolm Turnbull looks displeased as John Barilaro looks over at him

External Link: Your guide to the 2017 Queensland election

New South Wales Deputy Premier John Barilaro has called on Malcolm Turnbull to resign, describing the Prime Minister as "completely out of touch".

In an explosive interview on radio 2GB, Mr Barilaro questioned Mr Turnbull's leadership and said he had "lost all hope".

"Turnbull is the problem, the Prime Minister is the problem," he said.

"He should step down, allow for a clean out of what the leadership looks like federally.

"And whoever governs the country needs to make sure that they put the country and its people first."

Mr Barilaro, the NSW Nationals leader, is the highest ranking Coalition MP to publicly call for the Prime Minister's resignation.

"You've got a party in disarray, a Coalition Government in disarray and a community not unified and that is all at the feet of the Prime Minister of Australia," he said.

'Go before Christmas'

Mr Barilaro rose to become NSW's Deputy Premier earlier this year.

"My view is, Turnbull should give Australians a Christmas gift and go before Christmas," he said.

Mr Turnbull said Mr Barilaro had not spoken to him about the concerns.

"It is odd he has never raised these matters with me personally," Mr Turnbull told Melbourne radio 3AW.

Turnbull wearing a blue suit, red tie and dark-rimmed glasses, looks skyward with a sombre expression.

Mr Turnbull suggested Mr Barilaro made the comments because he was "trying to ingratiate himself" with radio host Alan Jones, who was interviewing him.

Mr Turnbull said if it was a serious view, Mr Barilaro would have spoken to him directly.

"He has got my number he can call me anytime," Mr Turnbull said.

He said people were not telling him that he should resign and when asked directly if he thought his time was running out he said: "No, absolutely not."

Mr Barilaro's criticisms this morning included the Prime Minister's response to the Queensland election.

The Deputy Premier said the state result had been a "disaster".

"What really got up my goat was on Sunday, was to hear the Prime Minister of this nation say there were no federal issues that affected the state election," he said.

"That's just a joke.

"If you're completely out of touch like that comment, which showed clearly that the federal issues were impacting on the way state voters were voting in a state election, in my mind, it just shows that there is no leadership."

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