‘I’m ready for the fight’: Kellie Sloane reveals her vision for NSW

New NSW Liberal leader Kellie Sloane has vowed to pursue a pro-housing agenda and put families at the centre of all policies as she takes on the leadership after a torrid week for the party.

In her first public comments as leader, Sloane said she was “ready for the fight” and had switched from “reluctant recruit” to being focused and driven to do the job.

“The next election is just over 15 months away, and I say that I don’t underestimate the challenge ahead of us, but I am ready for the fight and, as a team, we are ready for the fight,” Sloane said.

Sloane, with her deputy Natalie Ward by her side, spoke just hours after the party room unanimously installed her as leader, ending a damaging 24 hours for the Liberals as they stumbled over how to convince Mark Speakman to stand down.

“We need to look forward,” Sloane said. “We can’t think about what’s happened. It has been a bumpy week, there’s no doubt about that.”

Speakman resigned the leadership at 5pm on Thursday, ending weeks of speculation that culminated in factional allies urging him to fall on his sword. Sloane also told him of her desire to take over.

Sloane, the MP for the affluent eastern suburbs seat of Vaucluse, said fresh faces in the party, including her own, would bring new ideas and stressed that, with six MPs under the age of 40, the party can bring a “positive, ambitious vision” for NSW.

“I’m a country-raised, public-school educated working mum who has built a career listening to people, telling their stories and advocating for them,” she said.

“I’ve been a CEO of a big not-for-profit based out in western Sydney that gave me the ability to connect with families right around the state and learn firsthand what their problems are, what they care about for their families.

“I’ve been a journalist … most importantly, I am a mum, and I’m a wife, and my husband, Adam, and I are raising three teenage boys, and they are my purpose.”

However, Sloane avoided addressing policy issues that could plague her leadership, including navigating net zero targets with the Nationals, workers’ compensation reforms and privatisation.

Sloane said there was strong support within the Liberals to maintain the party policy of net zero emissions by 2025, despite the junior Coalition partner indicating it could be prepared to walk away from the commitment, in line with their federal colleagues.

“We need to understand that families in NSW are doing it tough, particularly regional communities who under this bungled rollout by Labor are divided,” Sloane said.

“There’s the haves and the have-nots. It doesn’t seem fair. Energy prices have gone up by about 40 per cent – we need to address those concerns for NSW families.”

Sloane said she supported reopening the railway station at Woollahra in her electorate and was “pro-housing” but not at the expense of “sloppy planning”.

“I think people are willing to accept housing anywhere provided that it’s done well, and my concern is that Labor is drawing circles on maps, and they’re building blocks,” she said.

“We need to build homes, and we need to build communities.”

Sloane said that representing the affluent seat of Vaucluse and images of her eating caviar on a super yacht, which were taken 10 years ago but resurfaced recently, would not detract from winning over voters in western Sydney.

“I grew up in the country, went to a public school. I’ve worked in western Sydney. I’ve lived in many parts of Sydney, actually, and I’m very fortunate that the jobs I’ve had have connected me with communities everywhere.”

Sloane will also have to make significant decisions about her frontbench but said that she had not yet turned her mind to its make-up.

Speakman, however, would be assured a spot on the frontbench if he wanted one, and Sloane left the door ajar for senior MP Alister Henskens, who decided against running for the leadership.

Senior Liberal MPs said Sloane commanded an authority that would enable her to shake up the party’s frontbench and policy platform.

Minns welcomed the challenge of a new opposition leader, insisting that he was “up for it”.

Asked if Sloane would be a more challenging opponent than Speakman, the premier said: “It’ll be a challenge for us.”

“We’ve got a really united, energetic, enthusiastic team that’s proud of our achievements, but really focused on the challenges ahead,” he said.

“Kellie Sloane is a really lovely person, and I wish her the very best for the job. Obviously, I’m in competition with her, but it’s a real honour to lead a political party. So hats off to her, it’s an achievement for her.”

with Mostafa Rachwani

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