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Lachlan LeemingNSW Political Correspondent

Lachlan Leeming is The Australian’s NSW political reporter. He has previously been a federal political reporter for The Daily Telegraph, working out of the Canberra press gallery. Over his career he has covered politics, local government, natural disasters, crime and court, both in the UK and throughout regional Australia.

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Hate speechNation

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos NOVEMBER 19, 2025: NSW Premier Chris Minns during a press conference on Wednesday. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki Short

Ban on neo-Nazis ‘could backfire’

Federal MPs have warned attempts to ban a white nationalist movement from registering a political party could instead draw more attention to its cause.

Lachlan Leeming and Sarah Ison

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos OCTOBER 14, 2025: NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman during Question Time at State Parliament on Tuesday. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki Short

NSW Liberals face net zero policy standoff

A dramatic split has emerged between state and federal Liberals over climate policy, while NSW party insiders warn of an imminent leadership challenge.

Lachlan Leeming and Sarah Ison

commentaryPolitics

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos , September, 14, 2025. NSW Leader of the Opposition Mark Speakman, speaks to the media during a press conference behind NSW Parliament House. Picture: NewsWire / Flavio Brancaleone

‘Boring is good’: Speakman chooses to stand his ground

NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman has defended his leadership style in a pointed social media video, as Liberal MPs privately push for his removal before year’s end.

Lachlan Leeming

ProfilePolitics

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos NOVEMBER 18 2025; Gurmesh Singh seen arriving at Parliament House in Sydney. Photo: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

Nats’ clean-energy supporting leader will walk a net zero tightrope

The NSW Nationals’ new leader, Gurmesh Singh, faces immediate tension over clean energy, having backed renewable power while now leading a party questioning net-zero targets.

Lachlan Leeming

Politics NowNation

Victorian Opposition Leader Jess Wilson (left) shakes hands with Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan at the start of a parliamentary sitting in the Legislative Assembly at the Parliament of Victoria at Victorian Parliament, in Melbourne, Tuesday, November 18, 2025. (AAP Image/Joel Carrett) NO ARCHIVING

Wilson sets wide agenda for fighting Victorian election; NSW Libs to keep net zero

New Victorian Liberal leader Jess Wilson will campaign on budget debt and the economy, crime, health care and on home ownership. The NSW Liberals voted to defy the federal party on net zero. In Canberra, CBA boss Matt Comyn was grilled by MPs.

Lily McCaffrey, Lachlan Leeming and Anthony Galloway

ExclusivePolitics

, NSW National's MP Dugald Saunders pictured with his family. Dugald Saunders with wife Karen, and children Georgie and Charlie, Picture: Supplied.,

Nats leader exits, says daughter’s OnlyFans work not a factor

NSW Nationals leader Dugald Saunders blindsided colleagues, saying he needs to focus on family, just one day after his teenage daughter appeared in an online documentary.

Liam Mendes and Lachlan Leeming

EXCLUSIVEPolitics

Andrew Hastie and Sussan Ley

Liberal moderates abandon Ley, begin move to Hastie

Senior conservative and moderate MPs believe there is growing momentum behind Andrew Hastie’s push to become leader, amid fury that Sussan Ley has delivered a climate policy ‘worse than the Nationals’.

Greg Brown and Lachlan Leeming

ExclusivePolitics

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos - October 16, 2025: Tony Burke MP, Minister for Home Affairs, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Cyber Security & Minister for Immigration and Citizenship addresses the National Press Club of Australia in Canberra. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Riots, escapes, sexual assaults soar in detention centres

A Home Affairs annual report shows the department missed 17 performance targets amid a concerning increase in ‘critical incidents’.

Lachlan Leeming

ExclusivePolitics

British tycoon Sanjeev Gupta. Picture: The Australian

Unpaid royalties: minister rejects Gupta’s mine plea

Mining magnate Sanjeev Gupta faces another devastating setback as the NSW government refuses to revoke its multimillion-dollar charge against his failing Tahmoor coalmine.

Lachlan Leeming

BusinessNation

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos OCTOBER 30, 2025: Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations Damien Tudehope during a press conference at State Parliament on Thursday. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki Short

Labor defeat a premium blow for business

After months of warnings and an overnight parliamentary battle, NSW businesses must now shoulder what politicians couldn’t fix – a 36 per cent rise in workers’ comp costs.

Lachlan Leeming

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Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/author/lachlan-leeming/page/3