Power sale the reason I quit: Debnam

Former NSW Liberal leader Peter Debnam has quit the opposition front bench, saying the coalition's conditional support for the Labor state government's electricity sell-off made his role untenable.

Mr Debnam, who led the coalition to defeat in the last NSW election, has resigned as the opposition spokesman for energy and infrastructure.

He said he could not continue in the role after Opposition Leader Barry O'Farrell last week announced in-principle support for the government's plans to sell electricity retailers and lease out the power generators.

"When you're actually the shadow minister for it, and you differ to some extent from Barry's position on it, then clearly you've got a problem," Mr Debnam told AAP.

"It was just not viable for me to continue as the shadow minister in that portfolio."

Mr Debnam said he believed the opposition should strongly oppose the government's planned sell-off and instead lead an aggressive push towards renewable and green energy.

"This privatisation has only become a major issue of importance after the election," Mr Debnam said.

"Electricity privatisation was discussed prior to the election and we assured the community, that is (Premier) Morris Iemma and me, that it would not be sold."

Despite wanting to remain as leader, Mr Debnam was replaced in the top job by Mr O'Farrell, his deputy, shortly after the coalition's election loss last year.

Mr Debnam denied he had any problems working with Mr O'Farrell, saying his decision to quit the front bench was simply about the privatisation policy.

He said he would stay on as the Liberal member for Vaucluse and would like to return to the front bench one day, but "not in the short-term".

"I'll be staying in parliament, up to the next election and probably the one after that at least," he said.

Mr O'Farrell said he respected Mr Debnam's view, but the decision to give conditional support to the government's sell-off was made by the party room.

"It's obviously been hard for him. One minute he's leader, another minute he's the member of a team," Mr O'Farrell said.

"But at the end of the day when you are part of a team, you abide by the team decision."

Lane Cove MP Anthony Roberts, a former staffer to John Howard, fills Mr Debnam's spot on the front bench, taking on the emergency services and juvenile justice portfolios.

In a minor reshuffle, opposition finance spokesman Mike Baird will take on the energy role, while Wakehurst MP and planning spokesman Brad Hazzard will handle infrastructure.

Mental health spokesman Greg Alpin loses his emergency services role, while legal affairs spokesman Greg Smith has been stripped of juvenile justice.