Factional fun abounds in NSW. A long weekend is coming up, along with all the quaint rituals of the ALP State Conference. Will Bob Carr tell the bruvvas of the joys of nuclear power? That could electrify things.

In the meantime, the local Liberal Party has plenty to keep itself occupied. It’s still pointing fingers about last week’s David Oldfield talk. Much has been made of a lunch last week between deputy opposition leader Barry O’Farrell and the Sydney Morning Herald’s state political reporter, Anne Davies. Now a new yarn comes along – that a staffer seconded to O’Farrell’s office woke up dozing Coalition MPs by shouting down the corridor to find out whether anyone knew where Baz was because “Anne Davies wants to speak to him about the Oldfield matter.”

Meanwhile, it looks as if former NSW Liberal president Chris McDiven will get the federal party presidency, that the Right has backed off and is no longer trying to portray her as a factional equivalent of one of the Desperate Housewives characters.

The powers that be, the Liberals’ magic circle, are all in agreement that she will be the best for the party. The NSW Libs are the only opposition within a yahoo of government. Even the jihadist Right have to accept that. McDiven has put party ahead of faction – even if that upsets the ultras.

They may have reason to feel upset. Questions are already being asked about how McDiven will pull into line the youthful spear carrier of the Right, NSW staffer and federal Young Liberal president, and how – and if – she can stop his endless self promotion and branch stacking.