Howard backs federal takeover of NSW Liberals in further blow to Speakman

Former prime minister John Howard has strongly backed the federal takeover of the beleaguered NSW branch of the Liberal Party, in a further blow to embattled state Opposition Leader Mark Speakman.

Speakman on Friday lost his battle to convince his federal counterpart Peter Dutton that two women must serve on the committee appointed to oversee a takeover of the state division of the party, which has been rocked by the failure to nominate 140 candidates in Saturday’s council elections.

Mark Speakman attempted to have NSW figures control administration of the NSW division.Credit: Kate Geraghty, Alex Ellinghausen

In a result that will be seen as a major blow to the moderate faction in NSW, the party’s federal executive rejected Speakman’s demands that former federal MP Fiona Scott and former state MP Peta Seaton should both be on the committee.

The federal executive agreed that Seaton, a moderate, could be on the three-person panel, which also includes two former conservative Victorian members, former senator Richard Alston, 82, and former state treasurer Alan Stockdale, 79.

Howard said in a statement he strongly supported the decision of the federal executive to intervene in the affairs of the NSW division, calling the three-person committee “high-quality” and praising Dutton and federal president John Olsen for their “leadership and initiative” on a challenging issue.

“As a life member of the NSW division, I care deeply about its place in the national affairs of the Liberal Party,” Howard said. “Today’s decision will ensure that all elements of the Party in NSW are better able to assist in achieving our immediate and most important goal which is the defeat of the Albanese Labor government.”

John Howard in his Sydney office last year.Credit: Wolter Peeters

The federal executive did not accept Speakman’s insistence that Scott, also a moderate, should be included. Olsen had already told Speakman that he did not support Scott’s inclusion because she is a member of the federal executive.

Liberal sources, who are not authorised to speak publicly, have confirmed Speakman then suggested that former chief minister of the ACT Kate Carnell would be a viable replacement for Scott. However, this suggestion was also rejected.

Speakman had been scathing of the appointment of Alston and Stockdale, telling a state executive meeting earlier this week, “I don’t think it’s the right thing to have the committee dominated by two elderly gentlemen from Victoria.”

The federal takeover was triggered by the NSW Liberals’ failure last month to register 140 candidates for Saturday’s local council elections but has become a flashpoint in the conflict between the state’s moderates and a conservative faction led by figures such as shadow treasurer Angus Taylor and former prime minister Tony Abbott.

Moderate former NSW minister Rob Stokes was initially named on the committee when the federal intervention was revealed but declined to participate. He learnt of his inclusion when he read about it in the Herald.

In a pointed statement aimed at Dutton, Speakman on Friday said, “Here in NSW, I’ll always fight for equal opportunities for talented women to be appointed on merit and to have seats at the table.

“If we win the upcoming state byelections, the NSW parliamentary Liberal Party will be at gender parity for the first time.”

However, he also added that he was “keen to collaborate with the new administrative committee to have our campaign capacity in tip-top shape, so we can hold those [Labor] governments to account and win elections to replace them with strong Coalition governments.”

The administrative debacle within the NSW Liberals left 16 councils across the state without any Liberal election candidates or fewer than the party intended and led to the sacking of state director Richard Shields. The worst hit were Northern Beaches and Shoalhaven councils.

Mark Speakman - Photo: Kate Geraghty John Howard - Photo: Janie Barrett Peter Dutton Photo: Alex EllinghausenCredit: Fairfax Media

The NSW party’s president, Don Harwin, also lost his position because of the federal intervention. Speakman has been criticised for not demanding Harwin be held responsible for the council nomination fiasco. However, the opposition leader has maintained he did not believe Harwin was to blame.

Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.