Liberal leader Mark Speakman attacks teals: ‘Not achieved anything in Canberra and won’t here’

One of the eve of a knife-edge byelection, Liberal leader Mark Speakman has had a spray at the “teals” who are trying to seize one of the Liberals prized seats

Liberal leader Mark Speakman has lashed out at the teal independents, claiming they were “all care no responsibility”, had failed to achieve anything in Canberra and would not achieve anything in Macquarie Street.

Speaking on the eve of a triple by-election to be held on Saturday, the Opposition leader acknowledged the party had a fight on its hands in the ultra-marginal seat of Pittwater.

But he warned voters that sticking with the Liberals was the only way to achieve “real solutions” to the issues facing the electorate while helping the party inch closer to being back in government.

“We know we have a fight on our hands,” Mr Speakman told 2GB.

“The teals at the end of the day are all care no responsibility. They haven’t achieved anything in Canberra. They won’t achieve anything in Macquarie Street.”

In separate comments to The Saturday Telegraph, Mr Speakman accused the teals’ campaign as being one of “a sideshow of stunts and personal attacks” with candidates backed by “ a Melbourne-based Rich Lister” in billionaire Climate 200 convener Simon Homes a Court.

NSW Leader of the Opposition, Mark Speakman. Picture: Richard Dobson

“The teals have absolutely no seats in the NSW Parliament, and they’re backed by a Melbourne-based Rich Lister,” he said.

“They’re obsessed with tearing others down, but we’re here to build something better.”

With Labor not putting up candidates, the Liberals are on track to retain former energy minister Matt Kean’s seat of Hornsby, which it holds by an eight per cent margin, and also the seat of Epping, which ex-premier Dominic Perrottet held by a margin of 4.8 per cent.

Less certain is the outcome in the ultra-marginal seat of Pittwater – held by the Liberals by a 0.6 per cent margin – where the party is bracing itself for possible voter backlash following the council nominations debacle and resignation of local MP Rory Amon amid historic child sexual assault charges.

While the party has chosen a star candidate in former Northern Beaches Council deputy mayor Georgia Ryburn – a victim of the council nominations stuff-up, the brand damage from the debacles and aggressive campaigning by rival real independent Jacqui Scruby will hurt.

Former NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet.

Both the Liberals and Climate 200-backed Jacqui are estimated to have spent about $100,000 in advertising with the corflutes of both candidates saturating the beachside peninsular.

Ms Scruby’s material has also been plastered across vacant shop windows, while her ads have been run across Google and Meta.

The Liberals have stuck to more conventional means in reaching voters, with doorknocking and mail-outs.

Despite local concerns about unfinished roadworks and development, just which candidate could lay claim to be more “local” has dominated the campaign with each urging voters to “vote local” on their corflutes.

The Liberals are on track to retain former energy minister Matt Kean’s seat of Hornsby.

In the days leading up to Saturday, Ms Scruby’s team took a more aggressive approach, seizing on the fact Ms Ryburn lived just outside the electorate – although still on the Northern Beaches – with “Georgia Ryburn doesn’t live here!” signs authorised by Max Koslowski – a former media adviser to Kooyong “teal” Dr Monique Ryan – placed near Liberal posters.

Ms Scruby on Friday rejected the claim the “teals” could not deliver.

“As an independent in minority government, I will have the influence required to finish Mona Vale Road,” she said.

“The Liberals are in Opposition and will be for years to come. We can’t wait years, so vote for a local independent and let’s get the road finally finished.”

As for the focus on who lived locally, Ms Scruby said: “You should live in the electorate you seek to represent.”

“Manly is not Mona Vale. I live in Pittwater because I love Pittwater, and it’s only by living here that I know our community’s unique beauty, and its unique challenges.”

The signs so incensed former Pittwater MP Rob Stokes – who saw them while on a bus – that he posted a video to social media, declaring it the “nastiest personal attack I’ve seen in 30 years of elections” in the seat.

While not as intense, the local debate has also infiltrated Hornsby and Epping, prompting Mr Speakman to defend his candidates.

Mr Speakman said both Epping candidate Monica Tudehope and Hornsby candidate James Wallace had “deep local ties”.

The by-elections will be Mr Speakman’s first test as party leader, with a loss or significant swing against the party in any of the seats expected to fuel discontent among some of his more restless MPs.

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Originally published as Liberal leader Mark Speakman attacks teals: ‘Not achieved anything in Canberra and won’t here’