The byelection that exposed bad blood in feuding NSW Coalition

The NSW Liberals retained the north coast seat of Port Macquarie in Saturday’s byelection, beating the Nationals in a result that will cause deeper ructions between the feuding Coalition partners.

The byelection, sparked by the retirement of Nationals-turned-Liberal MP Leslie Williams, has caused bitter division within the Coalition after the Nationals and Liberals both chose to contest the seat.

Liberal candidate Robert Dwyer beat the Nationals’ Sean Gleeson, who entered the race late after the Nationals’ initial pick Warwick Yonge was sensationally dumped.

NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman and NSW Nationals leader Dugald Saunders.Credit: Fairfax Media

In what later proved to be an embarrassing move, NSW Nationals leader Dugald Saunders, deputy Gurmesh Singh and Nationals state and federal MPs from the state’s Mid North Coast announced Yonge at a media conference as the candidate.

Yonge was dumped just days later after the party’s decision-making committee, known as central executive, did not endorse him. He then ran as an independent.

The campaign was marred by infighting throughout. Local media reported that Singh called a Liberal volunteer a “camp little bitch” (Singh has vehemently denied this) while Liberal MP Ray Williams was accused of saying Singh, who has Indian heritage, had “gone to buy a curry” when he went to source a cool drink.

They may be in Coalition, but when it came to the Port Macquarie byelection, the gloves were off.Credit: Instagram

A senior Nationals MP, who wished to remain anonymous to speak freely, said the Coalition partners should not have faced off against each other, unnecessarily stretching resources before a federal poll and allowing bad blood to be aired.

“We both ran unknown candidates which did not help either of us but it also just showed what a mess things are,” the MP said.“The Nats have blown this seat, which they should have won.”

While the result for the Liberals will ease leadership speculation around Opposition leader Mark Speakman, the poor showing will shake Nationals MPs, putting strain on Saunders’ position.

Saunders has already faced pressure over his use of a Rural Fire Service plane when he was agriculture minister.

Saunders, who flew from his electorate in Dubbo to the Hunter Valley to visit wineries, was the only passenger on the 34-minute flight to the RAAF Base Williamtown near Newcastle in August 2022. He has said the flight was work-related.

Late on Saturday, Speakman posted to X: “With the majority of votes counted, the Liberals’ Robert Dwyer is on track to win the Port Macquarie by-election. We’re the team for everyone in NSW and thank the voters for their support today.”

Saunders told the Herald that early counting showed an 18 per cent swing to the Nationals. “I am very excited about that result,” Saunders said.

Nationals MP Wes Fang further inflamed tensions between the Coalition partners when he used budget estimates on March 11 to ask about funding if the Nationals and Liberals split.

“Should there be an unfortunate split in the Coalition, where the Nats might seek to divorce ourselves from some of the more left-wing ideologies that sometimes permeate the Liberal Party, what would be the resourcing that might be provided to the Nats as a separate party,” Fang asked.