Liberal Party’s Port Macquarie by-election campaign fundraiser flop

Thousand-dollar tickets to the Liberal Party’s Port Macquarie fundraiser failed to bring in the bigwigs or big bucks, amid claims the sacking of the former state director has left the party strapped for campaign cash.

Beleaguered Opposition Leader Mark Speakman attracted only a handful of guests to a Liberal fundraiser for the upcoming Port Macquarie by-election amid concerns the party is strapped for cash.

There were as many as guests of honour as paying diners at the Monday night event, held 400km from Port Macquarie at the Union University and Schools Club in the Sydney CBD.

The initial invitation sent to party faithful encouraged Liberal members to spend $2000 to sit at Mr Speakman’s table for the three-course dinner, or fork out $1500 to dine with Deputy Opposition Leader Natalie Ward and other shadow ministers and raise cash “in support of the March 15 Port Macquarie by-election”.

But tickets were hardly in demand, with the price of a seat on Mr Speakman’s table subsequently slashed to $1000-a-head in a bid to boost numbers.

The discount did not have the desired effect, with fewer than 10 people ultimately attending the event and sitting at a single table.

That number included star attractions Mr Speakman, Ms Ward and Opposition frontbenchers Aileen McDonald and Robyn Preston. Ms Ward’s husband also attended.

Tickets to sit with Opposition Leader Mark Speakman were originally priced at $2000. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nikki Short

Asked why the party failed to sell more than a handful of tickets, a Liberal Party spokesman said the event was a “small format fundraiser”.

In the lead-up to the event, questions were raised internally about why the party was raising money to fight a campaign against its coalition partner.

The event was held at the Union University and Schools Club in the Sydney CBD. Picture: Facebook

The Liberals are desperate to hold onto the electorate, insiders claim, but will struggle without former NSW party director Richard Shields, who was sacked after the council candidate nominations debacle last year.

“The Liberal Party at a state level has no money after we lost Richard Shields,” one party insider claimed.

“He was a fundraiser machine and well connected, despite his faults.

“They don’t have much in the kitty for Port Macquarie and yet they are running against their own people (the NSW Nationals).

“There’s a soured relationship there.”

Retired Port Macquarie MP Leslie Williams was elected as a National but sensationally defected to the Liberals in 2020 over the coalitions’ koala wars.

Liberal candidate Robert Dwyer will now contest the seat against Nationals candidate Sean Gleeson, who is the second person endorsed by the minor coalition partner to run.

The race for Port Macquarie descended further into chaos after dumped Nationals candidate Warwick Yonge announced he would run as an independent.

Tickets to sit with Deputy Opposition Leader Natalie Ward and other shadow ministers were also reduced to $1000. Picture: NewsWire / John Appleyard

Former Port Macquarie MP Leslie Williams resigned from the seat, triggering a by-election.

Amid the contest chaos, a second Liberal source said the “overpriced” tickets were symptomatic of a wider disconnect between party leaders and members.

“People will not support that event,” the source said prior to the fundraiser.

“It’s probably going to be a disaster but let’s see if they’ve got some heavy hitters we don’t know about.

“No one wants to donate, no one wants to participate. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Liberal Party was relying on meat raffles to stay afloat.”