NSW Liberals prepare for challenge as Speakman’s hold on leadership disintegrates
Sloane also does not want to launch a challenge, but has told colleagues she would be prepared to take on the job if a vacancy arises.
In this scenario, according to Liberals close to Sloane, an extraordinary party room meeting would be called for Friday or Monday morning to elect a new leader.
On Tuesday, The Herald detailed plans in the Sloane camp for emissaries would be dispatched to tell the opposition leader on Thursday that his leadership was untenable.
In this scenario, according to Liberals close to Sloane, an extraordinary party room meeting would be called for Friday or Monday morning to elect a new leader.
A leadership spill could only take place at a party room meeting, and with no more scheduled this week, Speakman or his deputy Natalie Ward would need to call one, or at least 11 MPs would be required to sign a request for an extraordinary meeting.
Members of the party’s right wing, supporting Henskens, have been effectively cut out of negotiations over a post-Speakman future, one conservative source said. The MP concluded that the status quo would largely remain the same once the leaders change.
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If Speakman is deposed, both the Coalition’s leaders will be replaced within days. Coffs Harbour MP Gurmesh Singh became Nationals leader this week after the shock resignation of Dugald Saunders, who left the job citing personal reasons.
It could spark a significant reshuffle of the Coalition’s shadow cabinet, with Sloane and Singh both able to pick their portfolios.
Angst about Speakman’s poor polling numbers and failure to heed advice has aggrieved colleagues. Despite a small bump in his preferred premier rating, the NSW Coalition’s primary vote is languishing on 28 per cent.
Some Liberals are convinced that Speakman, a former attorney-general and environment minister, has been unable to land a blow on Premier Chris Minns, driven largely by the absence of a sustained and coherent critique of the government.
Sloane, a former journalist turned businesswoman, has been touted as having leadership potential. Having only been elected in March 2023, many colleagues felt she did not have the political experience to take the top job. But with her rivals failing to convince colleagues, Sloane has increasingly become the only realistic prospect.
