A first-term MP has become the NSW Liberals’ newest leader as the party tries to shore up its footing 18 months from a crucial election.
Former TV presenter Kellie Sloane completed her meteoric rise to the top of the NSW Liberals on Friday after the chaotic aftermath of the federal party’s election wipe-out tarnished its state brands and fuelled calls for fresh faces.
Her predecessor, Mark Speakman, finally gave way to the pressure on Thursday, announcing his resignation and giving his support to friend and fellow moderate Sloane.
She was elected unopposed at a party room meeting on Friday morning.
Conservative candidate and Opposition legal affairs spokesperson Alister Henskens pulled out earlier.
Accompanied by Natalie Ward, who successfully held onto her role as deputy leader, Sloane underscored the unity within the party room, asserting that everyone stood firmly behind her leadership.
“It’s an incredible honour, a huge responsibility and one I don’t take lightly,” she said in brief remarks ahead of a late morning press conference.
Sloane, a mother of three, enjoyed a decades-long career as a journalist and news presenter before teaming up with Healthy Harold to lead not-for-profit Life Education NSW.
Defeated in pre-selection for former premier Gladys Berejiklian’s Willoughby seat in 2022, Sloane was comfortably elected as MP for the eastern Sydney electorate of Vaucluse at the 2023 state election and rapidly appointed to the opposition frontbench under Speakman.
Despite the brewing tensions, as recently as Thursday morning, Speakman was resolute in his efforts to maintain his leadership position. He embarked on a vigorous media campaign, dismissing rumors and downplaying any talk of a leadership challenge.
But when Sloane declared her intention to lead, he agreed to step away.
Sloane, 52, has become the second woman this week to have deposed a male state Liberal leader after the Victorian division of the party dumped Brad Battin in favour of first-term MP Jess Wilson.
While both women will be hoping to turn things around before their next state elections, Sloane faces an uphill battle.
No first-term Opposition has won an election in NSW or federally since the 1930s while recent polls suggest the Liberal/National Coalition would lose more seats to Labor if an election was held today.
“They are in a pretty dire spot at the moment,” election analyst Ben Raue told AAP.
“It’s a very easy mechanical change to make, to sack someone and replace them with someone else, but unless that is the specific reason why you’re unpopular, it’s not going to change anything.”
Sloane will steer the Coalition with new Nationals leader Gurmesh Singh, who was elected unopposed on Tuesday after Dugald Saunders’ shock resignation.
The next NSW election is in March 2027.
