Barry O'Farrell's replacement may find it easier to reopen communication with the Shooters and Fishers Party MPs whose votes are crucial to helping the government pass controversial legislation.

The Shooters and Fishers Party MPs have been refusing to negotiate with the Premier over legislation including controversial planning laws and minimum mandatory sentencing for alcohol-fuelled violence, which they helped block in the upper house.

Of the two leadership contenders, Treasurer Mike Baird is likely to receive greater support from conservative crossbenchers from the Shooters and Fishers Party and the Christian Democrats.

A Liberal Party source said: "Under Baird, we would hope we could reopen talks with them. The government stands by everything it has done in the upper house and we wouldn't be looking to make a deal with the Shooters. All we would be looking to do is to talk to them and make our case. Because at the moment that door is closed."

Shooters and Fishers Party MP Robert Borsak said he believes Mr Baird would make a better leader than Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian. "We will wait to see who is elected premier and we look forward to a more trustworthy relationship with the government," he said.

Mr O'Farrell relied on the support of the Shooters and Fishers Party to privatise the state's electricity generators. In return, he introduced shooting in national parks but later watered down that commitment. But the government's introduction of legislation requiring tighter reporting of ammunition sales and its abolition of the Game Council angered the Shooters and Fishers Party.

Greens MP John Kaye said: "Our door is open to whoever the new premier is, but our bottom line is that we won't be party to a war on the environment, on public sector workers or on the union movement."

Dr Kaye said Mr Baird was questioned during budget estimates hearings last year about the appointment of Nick Di Girolamo to the State Water Corporation board.

"He has never given a proper account of how that appointment was made and how Mr Di Girolamo was a qualified and proper candidate for the job."

A Labor Party MP said the Shooters Party MPs were angry with Mr O'Farrell personally because they felt he had broken broken his commitments to them.

"They have a problem with him and with ministers seen as being close to him," he said.

"Witness the failure of [Planning Minister] Brad Hazzard’s planning bill."

Mr Hazzard, a personal friend of Mr O'Farrell, spent most of the day with him after he resigned as Premier on Wednesday.

The Labor MP said Mr Baird would have the support of conservative MPs because of his strong Christian faith and Ms Berejiklian was seen as a being further to the left of the Liberal Party.

Christian Democrats MP Fred Nile said he got on well with Ms Berejiklian, especially since he joined her as part of a study tour of Armenia last year.

But he said he would prefer Mr Baird as Premier, because of his experience as Treasurer.