Speakman’s hold on top job faces test amid push to split Coalition

NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman’s hold on the top job will be tested as senior Liberals resist any push to split the Coalition after firebrand Nationals MP Wes Fang sparked an internal war over a rogue Facebook post.

Speakman has summoned his Liberals MPs to a meeting on Tuesday as Nationals leader Dugald Saunders continued to back Fang despite repeated cases of bad behaviour from the upper house MP, including against his own side.

NSW Nationals leader Dugald Saunders (left) and Opposition Leader Mark Speakman (right).Credit: Kate Geraghty

The latest was a social media post by Fang in which he slammed Speakman for visiting his hometown of Wagga Wagga without prior warning and said his leadership was under threat.

Speakman sacked Fang from his shadow cabinet for his comments, but Saunders returned serve and refused to accept the demotion, prompting a bitter divide between the two Coalition leaders.

One senior source said the prospect of a Coalition split had been “very serious” and a “genuine consideration” for Liberal MPs. Another said Fang had “shitcanned” Speakman, while Saunders had openly defied his leadership.

However, three senior Liberal frontbenchers said a split would not be the answer, and they would not support a break-up. Instead, Fang, who is known to throw nasty barbs at his Liberal colleagues in the upper house, should be forced to overhaul his behaviour.

Nationals MP Wes Fang is at the centre of a row between the Coalition partners.Credit: Peter Rae

A senior member of Speakman’s team said tearing apart the Coalition would damage their re-election hopes, and the opposition leader should not have retaliated.

“I think the Coalition should stay together. Everything should be seen through the prism of ‘how does this help us win the next election’, and that [splitting] would not help us win,” the MP said.

“Why we are letting Wes Fang possibly blow up the Coalition is beyond me.” The MP said the only loser in the saga was Speakman, who risked “looking weak”.

Another senior Liberal, who was not permitted to comment publicly, said Fang’s Facebook post was the last straw and Saunders had to insist on discipline from his Nationals.

“If the Nationals are prepared to accept Wes’ behaviour, then that will precipitate a split, not the action itself,” the Liberal said, referring to Fang’s social media post.

“There are other issues that relate to Mr Fang that have been tolerated for too long. This is about whether the Nationals are prepared to tolerate bad behaviour. Wes’ behaviour is beyond the pale.”

A third senior Liberal said there were already “rumblings” about Speakman’s leadership, which could intensify. “We are spending the winter break talking about ourselves,” the MP said.

Fang used a Facebook post to accuse the Liberal Party leader of “slinking” into Wagga Wagga, “pretending like the Libs actually care about the Riverina”. The Nationals MP said Speakman should have had the “courtesy” of informing him of his upcoming trip. The post was deleted eight hours later.

Fang was contacted for comment.

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