Ray Hadley reveals Lib MP’s texts branding Speakman ‘a liar’

In an extraordinary escalation of the fiasco which has sent the NSW Libs into meltdown, 2GB mornings host Ray Hadley read out private text messages live on air.

Liberal frontbencher Alister Henskens privately called his leader Mark Speakman a “liar”, 2GB broadcaster Ray Hadley has claimed.

In an extraordinary escalation of the fiasco which has sent the NSW Liberal party into meltdown, the 2GB mornings host read out private text messages from Mr Henskens on Thursday morning.

In one message, Mr Henskens called division president Don Harwin “the biggest fraud of all time,” Hadley said.

Mr Henskens then allegedly accused Mr Speakman of lying.

According to Hadley, Mr Henskens said that his leader had made comments defending Mr Harwin that “could not be further from the truth”.

Mr Speakman had said Mr Harwin’s role was “entirely separate” from lodging council nominations.

“The stuffing around by Harwin to put his factional mates on local council tickets is the main and central reason why they were not lodged in time,” Mr Henskens said, according to Hadley.

Broadcaster Ray Hadley read out texts from Alister Henskens on air today. Picture: NewsWire / Christian Gilles

“He’s called his leader a liar,” Hadley said.

On Wednesday, Mr Henskens was forced to deny he had been white anting his leader.

“Mark Speakman has my support as leader,” he said.

Mr Henskens was contacted for comment.

There is now a push in the Coalition for Mr Henskens to be punted from the front bench.

Nationals MP Wes Fang, who was sacked for tweets critical of Mr Speakman, called for the Liberal leader to be “consistent” when dealing with his own party.

“If he doesn’t, he will only further demonstrate how he himself is not a fit leader, and simply a factional hack.”

It comes afterLiberal branch members launched a rank and file revolt against president Don Harwin and other party bosses, demanding that an administrator be put in charge ahead of the local government elections.

Meanwhile, Liberals gathered for a dinner in Newtown to farewell former Premier Dominic Perrottet and former Treasurer Matt Kean on Wednesday night have stopped short of expressing their ongoing support for Don Harwin as party president.

Asked if he supported Mr Harwin remaining in the role, senior Liberal Damien Tudehope said: “that’d be a matter for the Liberal Party”.

That view was echoed by a string of other MPs as they entered Thai Pathong.

Shadow Attorney-General Alister Henskens

Lane Cove MP Anthony Roberts. Picture: NewsWire

Mr Kean said he was looking forward to catching up with colleagues and was “expecting a particularly spicy meal”.

Earlier, senior Liberals Alister Henskens and Anthony Roberts were forced to deny they were undermining Mark Speakman, after 2GB radio host Ray Hadley claimed the pair were leaking against their leader him.

Mr Speakman said he accepted their denials, and quipped that at least the party had managed to make a dinner booking on time.

Mr Henskens was at the dinner, but Mr Roberts was not spotted.

The Liberals’ failure to nominate some 140 candidates for local government elections is set to give Labor a thumping majority in a number of councils while also boosting progressive independents on the Northern Beaches.

Furious Northern Beaches Liberals will meet next week after the party failed to nominate any candidates for that area’s council contest.

Members are set to move motions calling for the party to reimburse would-be candidates for any money spent, and call for an administrator to be brought in, according agenda of the meeting seen by The Daily Telegraph.

2GB broadcaster Ray Hadley.

Liberal members in Bradfield are also preparing to move motions calling for federal intervention. They are also set to vote on Monday on a motion calling for Mr Harwin to “resign immediately”.

In a dramatic escalation of internal tensions, 2GB host Ray Hadley on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on frontbench Liberal MP Alister Henskens and Lane Cove MP Anthony Roberts, suggesting the MPs had been leaking against their party.

“Look, I’ve got leaks from the left, right and centre from the right wing. One of you people get the balls to actually come on this program and say what you’re saying to me privately,” he said on 2GB.

“Get on the air now and tell the left of your party you’ve had a gutful of them. You know who you are from the right: Anthony Roberts, Alister Henskens. Come on. Get on here and challenge them.”

NSW State Liberal Party President Don Harwin. Picture: Matrix

NSW Liberal Party leader Mark Speakman. Picture: NewsWire / Max Mason-Hubers

In a statement, Mr Henskens said that he “did not call for a change in the leadership of the NSW Parliamentary Liberal Party”.

“Mark Speakman has my support as leader,” he said.

Mr Henskens said that he was “dismayed” at the council debacle.

When contacted, Mr Roberts maintained his public position.

“Richard Shields and Don Harwin need to go. If I thought Mark Speakman had any responsibility in this screw up, his name would have been included in the public statements made by me,” he said.

“I support the leader, and I’ve never said anything contrary to that,” he said.

Amid the political bloodletting, the failure to meet council deadlines will also change the political landscape in a number of councils.

NSW Liberal Party president Don Harwin in Sydney last Thursday after a council election debacle. Picture: Matrix

Councils which have previously been split between Labor and the Liberal Party will now lurch to the left. Labor will have a massive majority in Penrith, while Camden and Lane Cove are set for a progressive majority.

Labor is also on track for a “big majority” in Blue Mountains, Campbelltown, Wollongong, Cessnock, election analyst Ben Raue said.

The Northern Beaches is also set to be dominated by progressive parties, including the Teal-style “Your Northern Beaches” group.

Liberal councillor David Walton, who will lose his job after his nomination was not submitted, warned the council will lose a “conservative voice” impacting policy decisions.

He said that could lead to “significant rate rises to meet growing expenditure,” and an “Indigenous voice to council,” a policy which has previously been voted down by Liberals.

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