Senior MPs: Speakman warned of ‘iceberg’ over candidate fiasco

Liberal MPs have launched into Mark Speakman, claiming the Opposition Leader was warned the party was “heading for an iceberg” in regards to the disastrous local government election campaign.

Liberal MPs have launched into Mark Speakman, claiming the Opposition Leader was warned the party was “heading for an iceberg” in regards to the disastrous local government election campaign.

It comes as Mr Speakman defiantly supported Liberal Party President Don Harwin, despite mounting evidence of his involvement in the spectacular failure to nominate 140 council candidates by deadline.

Multiple sources have confirmed the issue was raised “repeatedly” in recent Liberal Party room meetings at NSW Parliament, only for Mr Speakman and his close ally, Oatley MP Mark Coure, to insist the issue was entirely under control.

“There were questions repeatedly to both Speakman and Coure about the local government elections and what was happening with the State Executive process. This has been going on for months. Everything they both presented back to us suggested it was all in order, and we would have a record number of candidates” said one senior Liberal MP.

It’s understood Anthony Roberts, a former minister and senior figure in the Liberals’ conservative faction, was heard on several occasions demanding an update on the situation.

The Opposition Leader, Mark Speakman has defiantly supported Liberal Party President Don Harwin. Picture: Matrix

“Robbo kept saying to (Mark) Coure … ‘we are heading for an iceberg’,” another senior Liberal said.

When approached by The Daily Telegraph, Mr Roberts said: “I don’t talk outside the party room, but everyone inside knows what my concerns were… and how many times I raised them.”

Mr Coure was approached for comment.

Anthony Roberts.

Mr Speakman said today he couldn’t recall any concerns about the deadline being raised during party room meetings.

“I don’t recall any discussion about an iceberg, and I spoke with some colleagues this morning who saw the article in the Telegraph and they don’t recall a discussion about an iceberg either,” he told 2GB’s Ben Fordham on Tuesday morning.

“There was concern right across the party and that it would include MPs as well about delays in getting candidates endorsed for local council selections because we want candidates out there in the field taking the fight up to Greens the Teals and Labor as soon as possible. So there was concern about handicapping that campaigning activity.”

He also again leapt to the defence of party president Don Harwin, claiming there was no evidence he was involved in the disastrous local government election campaign.

Mr Speakman holds a seat on the Liberal state executive, which is at the centre of the candidate saga, and has the ability to send his delegate Mr Coure, when he is unavailable to attend.

Mr Speakman confirmed he was present at the Executive meeting on July 26 where he “provided an oral State leader’s report” but did “not recall whether in my presence there was any discussion about making candidate selections.”

“There was certainly never any discussion about any risk of not lodging nominations on time.” Mr Speakman insisted.

Other members of Liberal State Executive have told this masthead the local government process was discussed at length in the July 26 meeting, and it had regularly been on the agenda for quite some time.

The saga has already resulted in NSW Party Director Richard Shields losing his job, with the federal Liberal branch now contemplating a full scale takeover, which can’t occur until next month.

NSW Liberal Party leader Mark Speakman was apparently warned the party was “heading for an iceberg”. Picture: NewsWire / Max Mason-Hubers

Mr Speakman said: “the responsibility of lodging (candidate) forms sits squarely on the shoulders of the State Director… who was required to sign the forms and lodge them. (Shields) failed to do so. He then failed to front up and explain what happened. It was clear his position was untenable.”

However - when asked to comment on Mr Harwin’s involvement as President - Mr Speakman said “Mr Harwin was apparently heavily involved in discussions about candidate selection and endorsement, which is entirely separate from them lodging the nomination forms. I am not aware of (Mr Harwin) volunteering to run the lodgment of nominations.”

Before losing his job - Mr Shields insisted Mr Harwin had volunteered to run the local government candidate process.

On Thursday this masthead published leaked text messages from Mr Harwin to the State Executive, hours after the shocking administrative error on August 14, where he wrote “suffice it to say after 3-4 days a week for the last three months working with the staff to get the endorsements done, I am beyond devastated at today’s disaster relating to nominations.”

Mr Harwin has not accepted any responsibility over the matter, and like Mr Speakman has blamed the failure entirely on Mr Shields.

Other text messages showed Mr Harwin being quizzed by other members of his State Executive over suggestions he had not consulted them before threatening legal action against the NSW Electoral Commission for the candidate blunder.

A clearly annoyed Don Harwin spoke briefly to this journalist when contacted on Monday, before later referring inquiries to Liberal Party HQ.

“These desperate attempts by Don Harwin to save himself by unleashing an embarrassing attack on the NSW Electoral Commission… are distractions from his untenable position” a senior Liberal powerbroker added.