Attorney-General Greg Smith on outer over mandatory sentencing laws

Pressure mounting: Greg Smith. Photo: Jacky Ghossein

NSW Attorney-General Greg Smith is facing a growing push to have him removed from the job amid discussion within the government about Citizenship, Communities and Aboriginal Affairs Minister Victor Dominello as a replacement.

Pressure on Mr Smith has come to a head over mandatory minimum sentences for violent crimes, which he publicly opposed last year but supported last week as part of the government's response to alcohol-related violence.

Mr Smith's about-face has infuriated many lawyers and his initial opposition to mandatory sentencing appears to have weakened his position within the government.

At a party room meeting on Thursday, before debate on legislation introducing a mandatory minimum sentence of eight years for fatal single-punch assaults involving alcohol or drugs, Mr Smith was grilled by his Liberal colleagues.

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One MP described watching Mr Smith defend laws he was clearly not in favour of as ''excruciating''.

Mr Smith, who is from the right faction of the NSW Liberals, would normally be replaced by another right-winger.

Mr Dominello, a former partner at a legal firm, is with the left faction, but his backers argue he will be more likely to remain in step with hard-line law-and-order policies than Mr Smith, who is a former deputy director of public prosecutions in NSW.

The other logical candidate, Cronulla MP and senior barrister Mark Speakman, is also from the left but he spoke against mandatory minimum sentencing last year.

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Attorney-General Greg Smith on outer over mandatory sentencing laws