Former Journalist Takes Helm of NSW Liberal Party
In a significant political development, Kellie Sloane has been elected unopposed as the new leader of the New South Wales Liberal party. The 52-year-old former television journalist replaces Mark Speakman, who resigned from the position on Thursday evening after mounting pressure from within the party.
The leadership transition marks a dramatic shift for the opposition, with Sloane becoming the first female Liberal leader in NSW since Gladys Berejiklian. Her appointment comes at a critical juncture for the party, which currently trails Labor in opinion polls and faces an uphill battle ahead of the 2027 state election.
From Newsroom to Parliament: Sloane's Unconventional Rise
Sloane's path to political leadership differs markedly from traditional political careers. Born and educated in South Australia's Barossa Valley, she attended public school before studying arts at the University of South Australia. Her professional journey began as an ABC cadet in Adelaide before she moved to Sydney in 1997 to work as a reporter at Nine Network.
During her thirteen-year tenure at Nine, Sloane took on various high-profile roles including presenting the Today program and anchoring the late-night news program Nightline. Her broadcasting career provided her with the communication skills that now define her political approach and have already drawn attention from the government.
Analysis of parliamentary speeches by Premier Chris Minns revealed he mentioned "the member for Vaucluse" 44 times across 18 different speeches since March 2023 - more frequently than he referenced "public transport". This suggests the government had identified Sloane as a significant opponent even before her leadership elevation.
Political Baptism and Progressive Stances
After leaving journalism, Sloane transitioned to leadership roles in educational non-profits before entering politics. Her initial attempt to enter parliament came in the 2022 Willoughby byelection following Gladys Berejiklian's resignation, where she surprisingly finished third behind Tim James despite backing from prominent Liberals including former premier Mike Baird and former federal treasurer Joe Hockey.
She successfully secured the eastern suburbs seat of Vaucluse in 2023 with support from federal senator Dave Sharma and local powerbroker Sally Betts. Sloane immediately joined the opposition frontbench as shadow environment minister before being promoted to shadow health minister following Matt Kean's resignation in mid-2024.
Her political approach has demonstrated progressive leanings, particularly evident in her response to recent neo-Nazi rallies. Sloane received alleged death threats after condemning the event on social media, but firmly stated: "I will not be bullied out of saying what I think, and I will stand up for people in my community and for the broader community of Sydney who don't like hate."
Challenges and Opportunities Ahead
Sloane faces immediate challenges, including managing potential conflicts of interest related to her husband Adam Connolly's corporate communications company, Apollo Communications. Although the company doesn't appear on NSW or federal lobbyist registers, transparency will be crucial to avoid the lobbying scandals that have plagued NSW politics.
On policy matters, Sloane must balance her previous comments about not wanting residents "punished" with more housing in her electorate with Speakman's call to maintain "aggressively pro-housing policy". She has handled the government's Woollahra rezoning discreetly, expressing no opposition to development "in principle" while questioning the government's housing targets.
The Essential poll showing the Coalition at a dire 28% underscores the magnitude of Sloane's challenge. However, Premier Minns himself acknowledged the Liberal party's formidable track record, noting that aside from 2011, most NSW elections have been closely contested and predicting the 2027 vote would be no different.
As Sloane assumes leadership, her communication skills and media experience may prove valuable assets in rebuilding the party's fortunes. Her ability to distance state politics from federal Liberal struggles and manage factional tensions, particularly regarding net zero emissions policy with the Nationals led by Gurmesh Singh, will be critical to her success.
