NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian's coalition is preferencing a party whose leader advocated for Australia to adopt New Zealand-style gun laws before the Christchurch terror attack.
Ms Berejiklian, who has criticised Labor for their preference deal with the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party, said she saw no contradiction in the Nationals preferencing the Liberal Democrats in the upper house.
The premier said the Nationals preferencing David Leyonhjelm's party second in the legislative council wasn't the same as Labor's deal with the Shooters in some lower house seats because the Liberal Democrats couldn't help determine the government.
"Well they have no chance of forming government, or being part of a government, that is a clear difference and please don't compare the two," Ms Berejiklian told reporters on the eve of the state election.
Mr Leyonhjelm earlier this month suggested New Zealand-style gun laws be implemented in Australia.
"If Australia has gun laws like New Zealand, that would be a vast improvement on our current situation," Mr Leyonhjelm told AAP on March 5 before last week's Christchurch attack that saw 50 people gunned down by a terrorist wielding semi-automatic weapons.
"At the moment, Australians wet their pants when you mention the word guns, it's a cultural thing, they're a bunch of scaredy cats."
Ms Berejiklian referred some questions about the deal to the Nationals and wouldn't speculate on whether she'd work with the Liberal Democrats in the upper house if she were to win Saturday's election.
Labor leader Michael Daley said the Nationals were swapping preferences with a party which held "some extreme views on shooting".
"They (the Liberal Democrats) want people to be able to carry side-arms for protection," the opposition leader told reporters.
"They want to be able to import and own semi-automatic military weapons. They don't want long-arms to be registered."
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Thursday announced that semi-automatic weapons and assault rifles would be banned under new legislation to be introduced to parliament.
The NSW premier on Friday was joined by former prime minister John Howard - who introduced Australia's tough gun laws in 1996 after the Port Arthur massacre - in the battleground seat of Penrith where polling suggests the Liberals are locked 50-50 with Labor.
Mr Howard asked elderly residents at the Nepean Valley RSL to give Liberal MP Stuart Ayres "a bit of a break" at the polling booths.
The party elder again warned that Labor would be pressured to water down gun laws by the Shooters if they helped Mr Daley form government.
"I would not like the idea of any government anywhere in Australia being beholden politically for power to a Shooters party," Mr Howard told reporters.
Both the premier's sisters, Mary and Rita, joined the last day of campaigning as the Berejiklian bus hit the battleground seats of Seven Hills, Heathcote and Penrith.
Mr Leyonhjelm has been contacted for comment.
Australian Associated Press
