NSW Liberals prepare for challenge as Speakman’s hold on leadership disintegrates

Senior NSW Liberal Wendy Tuckerman has emerged as the first MP to call for Mark Speakman’s leadership to be challenged, insisting “it’s time” to make a move on the besieged party leader.

Speaking outside parliament on Thursday, Tuckerman said Vaucluse MP Kellie Sloane must challenge if she has the numbers, while confirming she backed Wahroonga MP Alister Henskens.

Tuckerman, who quit Speakman’s frontbench in August over a vote on renewable energy, said Sloane had been talking about her leadership ambitions for months and now needs to show her “strength”.

After weeks of speculation about his leadership, Speakman was defiant on Thursday, saying reports of his “death are greatly exaggerated”. He urged colleagues to confront him if he had lost their confidence.

Moderate MPs Chris Rath and James Wallace, as well as centre-right MP Scott Farlow, were seen filing into Speakman’s office on Wednesday after the NSW Press Gallery’s annual event. It sparked speculation that the MPs had urged Speakman to fall on his sword.

Speakman told 2GB host Ben Fordham on Thursday: “I have not been tapped on the shoulder. Reports of my death are grossly exaggerated, and I’m here to fight.

“The honourable thing for anyone to do is, if they don’t have confidence in me and they believe they can do a better job, they should come and knock on my door and tell me.”

Speaking to the ABC later, Speakman said: “I believe I am the best person for the job. I have the experience. I have the breadth of vision.

“Unless and until I’m blasted out, I’m here to do a job for the people of NSW. In the meantime, I’m fighting on.”

As Speakman undertook a media blitz on Thursday, pressure continued to build. Nationals MP Wes Fang, an outspoken critic of Speakman, told The Daily Telegraph “we just need to get on with it”. “We just need to knife Speakman. I’m happy to do it.”

A source close to one of the MPs who visited Speakman on Wednesday night, who would not divulge details of discussions, said the meeting was to canvass “the state of the party” but also confirmed the urgency was sparked because of strong-held fears Henskens was preparing to challenge Speakman.

Henskens has been seeking support from MPs to replace Speakman, but Sloane has the numbers in the party room to win a spill motion.

The powerbrokers have been desperate to stop a challenge because they do not want to “embarrass” Speakman, who they say has not lifted the party’s performance but has not made any major missteps.

Liberal operatives had also feared Miranda MP Eleni Petinos, who was facing a preselection challenge from former Hughes MP Jenny Ware, could withdraw her support for Speakman for not stepping in to shore up her survival.

However, sources close to Ware said the former federal MP had decided to withdraw from the preselection but stressed it had nothing to do with Petinos or the leadership battle.

“Whatever happens in this leadership shenanigans has nothing to do with Miranda and nothing to do with Eleni Petinos,” the source said

Senior Liberal sources said Sloane had begun preparing her staff and policy platform for when she eventually took the leadership. She does not want to launch a challenge, but has told colleagues she would be prepared to take on the job if a vacancy arises.

On Tuesday, this masthead detailed plans in the Sloane camp for emissaries to be dispatched to tell the opposition leader on Thursday that his leadership was untenable.

A leadership spill can 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. Alternatively, 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 leader changed.

If Speakman is deposed, both the Coalition’s leaders will be replaced within days. Coffs Harbour MP Gurmesh Singh became the Nationals leader this week after the shock resignation of Dugald Saunders, who left the job citing personal reasons.

Sloane, a former journalist turned businesswoman, has long been touted as having leadership potential. Many colleagues felt she lacked the political experience to take on the top job as she was recently elected – in March 2023. But with her rivals failing to convince colleagues, Sloane has increasingly become the only realistic prospect.

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