Leadership Shake-Up for NSW Liberals
In a significant political development, Mark Speakman has announced his resignation as leader of the New South Wales Liberal party. The opposition leader stepped down on Thursday evening, acknowledging that colleagues were seeking 'renewal and regeneration' following brand damage from the federal Liberal party.
A Sudden Departure and an Endorsement
Speakman, who had begun the day defending his leadership in media interviews, revealed his decision at 5pm after a visit from first-term MP Kellie Sloane, who declared her intention to seek the leadership. "A day is a long time in politics. Half a day is a long time in politics. And even a few hours are a long time in politics," Speakman remarked, highlighting the rapid pace of the day's events.
He explicitly endorsed Sloane as his preferred successor, stating that by the afternoon it was clear there was at least one person who wished to be leader and that many colleagues preferred a fresh start. A party room meeting scheduled for Friday is expected to confirm Sloane as the new leader, either unopposed or with a substantial majority.
Pointing to Federal Brand Damage
In his resignation address, Speakman positioned the state Liberals as distinct from their federal counterparts, arguing that the party's decline in popularity was directly linked to the federal election in May. He stated that opinion polling had gone downwards since then and that 'brand damage from the federal election has continued' to affect the state party.
Despite this, Speakman claimed he had enjoyed 'almost unanimous support' in the party until recently, with the change in sentiment being driven by a desire for generational change. He outlined a vision for the party's future, urging it to engage with Gen Z, multicultural communities, and women, and to focus on centre-ground issues like cost of living and environmental stewardship.
The Challenge Ahead for Kellie Sloane
If confirmed, Kellie Sloane will become the third woman chosen to lead a Coalition opposition since May, following Sussan Ley federally and Jess Wilson in Victoria. The 52-year-old former journalist and current opposition health spokesperson has already demonstrated an ability to challenge Premier Chris Minns, notably by highlighting failures in hospital emergency wards.
However, she faces a formidable challenge. With just over a year until the next NSW election, the Liberals have yet to fully unveil key policies on critical issues like expanding the metro network and housing affordability. Furthermore, Sloane must navigate a fractured state Coalition, as the NSW Nationals have publicly broken with the Liberals on net zero emissions and other environmental policies, including the culling of wild horses and the Great Koala national park boundaries.
The political landscape remains volatile, and all eyes will be on the party room meeting to see if Sloane can unite the party and mount a credible challenge to the incumbent Labor government.
