‘Flashpoint’: Civil War brewing among NSW Liberals

Fresh off the federal Liberals and Nationals making up after a short-lived Coalition split, NSW Liberals are now at each other’s’ throats.

The NSW Liberals are set to hit a “flashpoint” later this month, with figures from the party warning of a brewing civil war ahead of a meeting to decide whether a federal takeover of the branch will be continued.

Fresh off the federal Liberals and Nationals making up after a short-lived Coalition split, NSW Liberals are now at each other’s’ throats, as different factions fight over whether an administration committee will continue past June 30.

The three-person committee, revealed by The Daily Telegraph in August, was put in place to shepherd the party through the federal election, after the NSW division last year failed to put in candidate nomination forms which led to 140 candidates missing out on running in NSW council elections.

Leader of the Opposition Sussan Ley holds a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

The state’s Liberals, however, remain split over whether the committee should retain power over the party past the June 30 end-date initially set – with moderates and the centre-right factions in for a fight with the party’s right.

“To say (the administration committee) should continue on after the federal election is just ludicrous,” a Liberal source said.

“There were lots of reasons we lost the election – but internal Liberal Party administration was not one of them.”

Another Liberal source confirmed a fight was brewing over the continued administration.

“It is a flashpoint – the right is becoming fractured over it,” they said.

NSW Leader of the Opposition Mark Speakman. Photo: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

A source from the Liberal’s right faction said there was more work to be done cleaning up the party.

“We want the administrative committee to be extended … we want them to actually accomplish the things they were set up to do,” they said.

Multiple Liberals railed against suggestions the NSW branch was the one that needed federal intervention – citing an ongoing civil war in Victoria, the WA Liberals being reduced to a rump party, and all lower house Tasmanian Liberals being cast out of Tasmania in the election.

It’s understood federal Liberal leader Sussan Ley is consulting the party on whether to back the committee remaining, while NSW Liberal leader Mark Speakman said his focus was on holding NSW Labor to account, ahead of meeting with Ms Ley.

Originally published as ‘Flashpoint’: Civil War brewing among NSW Liberals