New South Wales Liberal Party
Liberal Party of New South Wales
AbbreviationNSWLP, LPNSW
LeaderMark Speakman
Deputy LeaderNatalie Ward
PresidentJason Falinski[1][2]
SecretaryChristopher Stone
Founded4 January 1945 (4 January 1945)
Merger of
Preceded byUnited Australia
Headquarters131 Macquarie Street, Sydney, New South Wales 2000
Membership (2020)Decrease 11,906[lower-alpha 1]
Ideology
Political position
National affiliationFederal Liberal
Political allianceLiberal–National Coalition
Colours  Blue
Legislative Assembly
25 / 93
Legislative Council
10 / 42
House of Representatives
9 / 47
(NSW seats)
Senate
5 / 12
(NSW seats)
Local Government
129 / 1,480
Website
nswliberal.org.au

The New South Wales Liberal Party, officially called the Liberal Party of Australia, New South Wales Division,[10] and colloquially known as the NSW Liberal Party, is the state division of the Liberal Party of Australia in New South Wales. The party is currently in Opposition in New South Wales in a coalition with the National Party. The party is part of the federal Liberal Party which is in opposition on the mainland of Australia, with Tasmania being the exception.

Following the Liberal Party's formation in October 1944, the NSW division of the Liberal Party was formed in January 1945. For the following months, the Democratic Party and Liberal Democratic Party joined the Liberal Party and were replaced by the new party's NSW division.

In the 74 years since its foundation the party has won eight state elections to the Labor Party's 13, and has spent 27 years in office (1965 to 1976, 1988 to 1995 and 2011 to 2023) to Labor's 46. Eight leaders have become Premier of New South Wales; of those, five, Sir Robert Askin, Nick Greiner, Barry O'Farrell, Mike Baird and Gladys Berejiklian, have won at least one state election.

History

Background

After the 1943 federal election, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), United Australia Party (UAP) and Commonwealth Party began discussions on a merger to form a new party, proposed to be also named Democratic Party. The Liberal Democratic Party (NSW) were new parties formed a few months prior in April and May 1943 respectively. By November 1943, discussions were almost completed and unity was likely.[11] The County Party refused to join in the merger but expressed they would co-operate with the new party.[12] However, during the unity conference on 24 November 1943, the LDP walked out of the conference as they were not willing to support retaining the secretary of the UAP, H. W. Horsfield, as the secretary of the new party, as well as retaining members of his staff.[13][14] Instead, during the same conference, the Commonwealth Party and the New South Wales Democratic Party.[15] As such, LDP remained a separate party to the Democratic Party.

The initial leader of the Democratic Party was the former premier Alexander Mair,[16] but he resigned on 2 February 1944 and was replaced by Reginald Weaver on 10 February.[17][14]

In the lead up to the 1944 state election in May, the LDP party generated publicity disproportionate to its size and the Sydney Morning Herald commented that the Liberal Democratic Party was "a mouse" attempting to "swallow the Democratic Party lion".[18] At the election, the Democratic Party led by Weaver won 19% of the vote and 12 of the 90 seats in the Legislative Assembly. However, the LDP received less than 4% of the primary vote and did not win a seat.

Horsfield, the secretary of the Democratic Party, resigned on 26 July 1944, paving the way for a LDP-Democratic merger again.[14] In August 1944, the LDP, still led by Ernest White, initially agreed to merge with the Democratic Party and the new party to be known as the United Democratic Party.[19] However, two days after federal UAP leader Robert Menzies announced that he was planning to set up a new "political movement with a Liberal policy" at an October conference, negotiations between LDP and Democratic Party broke down and the party merger did not take place.[14]

Founding of Liberal Party

In October 1944, Menzies founded the Liberal Party of Australia during a conference in Canberra as announced in August, attended by LDP and Democratic Party delegates.[20] The New South Wales division of the Liberal Party was formed on 4 January 1945 with a provisional executive appointed, consisting of 20 LDP and Democratic Party members including White, Weaver and Bill Spooner.[21] Spooner, who was nominated by the LDP, was appointed as the first chairman on 9 January.[22]

The LDP was willing to support the formation of the Liberal Party and dissolved itself on 15 January 1945, officially joining the Liberal Party.[23] The Democratic Party also supported the formation but held off dissolution until a state branch of the Liberal Party had been fully constituted.[24] Weaver and parliamentary members of the Democratic Party were dissatisfied with the Liberal Party executive's attitude towards Democratic Party members and supporters, with Weaver tendering his resignation from the provisional council of the state Liberal Party in February 1945.[25] However, he withdrew his resignation in March 1945, and announced that all Democratic Party parliamentary members would join the Liberal Party.[26]

In the 1945 Ryde state by-election in February, Liberal member Eric Hearnshaw was elected to the New South Wales parliament. As Democratic Party parliamentary members including Weaver at that time had not yet joined the Liberal Party, this made Hearnshaw the first Liberal Party member in the New South Wales parliament.[27] Weaver and other Democratic parliamentary members finally joined the Liberal Party on 20 April 1945, with Weaver becoming the first parliamentary leader of the NSW Liberal Party.[28] On the same day, Albert Reid, independent member for Manly and a former UAP member, also joined the Liberal Party. This brought the total number of Liberal Party legislative assembly members to 14.[29]

Weaver died later in the year in November and he was succeeded by Mair as NSW Liberal Party leader. Mair resigned four months later in March 1946 to contest the Australian Senate, and was succeeded by Vernon Treatt as party leader. Treatt led the Liberal Party opposition in the state parliament for the next eight years.

Present of the Liberal Party

The Liberal/National Coalition won a landslide victory in the 2011 state election, with the Liberal Party winning 51 of the 93 lower house seats, enough for a majority in its own right. Liberal leader Barry O'Farrell opted to retain the Coalition. The coalition has since governed New South Wales under Liberal leaders Mike Baird, Gladys Berejiklian and Dominic Perrottet, the former two winning the 2015 state election and 2019 state election respectively. The 2019 election was significant as it was the first time that the Coalition won a third consecutive term in office in New South Wales since the 1971 state election. It was also the first that a female leader (Gladys Berejiklian) led a party to a state election victory in New South Wales, and the first time a non-Labor female leader won a state election in Australia. She stepped down on 5 October 2021 and was replaced as party leader and Premier by Perrottet.

Preselection procedures

In 2018, the NSW Liberal Party agreed to adopt new rules for preselecting candidates, which were championed by former Prime Minister and incumbent Liberal member of Warringah Tony Abbott and the right wing of the party. The rules, known as Warringah rules, gave local branches the right to hold plebiscites involving all eligible branch members to choose local, state and federal candidates. The party's state executive and the state council would still get 25% of the votes. It was reported that the right faction pushed for the rules as it believed members were more conservative than the state executive which were controlled by moderate members of the party.[30]

2022 federal election

On 30 November 2021, the party was unable to hold its scheduled annual general meeting (AGM) to select members of the state executive due to complications from COVID-19.[31] Minister Alex Hawke, who was the representative of federal party leader and Prime Minister Scott Morrison, also allegedly failed to attend internal Liberal Party nomination review committee meetings.

Not holding an AGM could constitute a breach in the party constitution, which meant that the state executive could not continue in office after 28 February 2022, and this would mean that the federal executive would have to step in to choose New South Wales candidates for 2022 federal election, due in May 2022. The Supreme Court of New South Wales ruled that the state executive could still continue after this date.[32] On 2 March 2022, the state executive tried to fast-track pre-selection plebiscites in seats that did not have candidates finalised, by overriding the constitutional requirements for plebiscites with special powers. However, this did not attain the required 90% state executive support to do so.[33][34][30] On 4 March, the federal executive voted to temporarily dissolve the state party and a committee was set up to take over the management of the state party until 8 March, "in accordance with clause 12.3 of the federal constitution of the Liberal Party". The committee, made up of Morrison, Perrottet, and former party president Chris McDiven, had direct control in endorsing candidates without preselection challenges.[35][36] The committee confirmed the pre-selection of three incumbent federal members of parliament, two of whom were ministers on 8 March.[37] The federal executive also gave the state party until 25 March 2022 to finalise candidates in other federal seats. While the Senate candidates could be finalised, the state party was still unable to do so for a number of seats by 27 March 2022. As a result, on that day, the federal executive voted to temporarily dissolve the state party for the second time and appointed the same Morrison-led committee to preselect candidates in other remaining unfinalised seats until 2 April.[38] Pre-selection ballots intended to be held for these seats in the coming week were all cancelled.

Members who opposed overriding local branch preselection include Sydney businessman Matthew Camenzuli, who was a member of the state executive. As of 30 March 2022, these members have brought the matter to court, seeking to challenge the legitimacy of the committee's preselection of the three incumbent members of parliament on 8 March 2022 and nine other candidates on 2 April 2022.[30] Morrison and Perrottet have urged them to take the matter to the High Court of Australia instead so that the result cannot be appealed further. On 5 April, the New South Wales Court of Appeal ruled that the court had no jurisdiction to make decisions relating to the constitutions of political parties, thereby ruling the preselection of the 12 candidates valid.[39] Camenzuli brought the matter further to High Court for appeal but it was dismissed on 8 April.[40] Camenzuli was also expelled from the party.[41]

Parliamentary party leaders

Leader of the Liberal Party
Incumbent
The Hon. Mark Speakman MP
since 21 April 2023
Inaugural holderReginald Weaver
Formation20 April 1945
DeputyNatalie Ward

The position of leader of the Liberal Party of Australia New South Wales Division is a formal role held by a Liberal member of the Parliament of New South Wales. As the Liberal Party has, since its foundation in 1945, been either the largest or second largest party in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, its leader is usually either the Premier or the Leader of the Opposition, depending on the majority or minority respectively of the party. The current leader of the Liberal Party is Mark Speakman, and the deputy leader is Natalie Ward.

The role is selected by state members of the parliamentary party, but the position is non-fixed in duration, and is usually only vacated upon resignation, retirement from politics, or a spill motion with the support of the majority of the parliamentary members.

The leader only has a role in a parliamentary context; the party division as a whole is governed by a President and Vice-Presidents, who act on the advice of the party division's Director and Deputy Directors. The division also gathers annually at a State Conference to vote on and develop policy to be used by the party's elected representatives. The majority of the twenty Liberal Leaders resigned after losing elections or were deposed by other parliamentary members.

#Party leader[42][43]Assumed office[44]Left office[44]PremierReason for departureTime in office
1Reginald Weaver20 April 194512 November 1945Died in office206 days
2Alexander Mair13 November 194520 March 19461939–1941Resigned; Premier under UAP127 days
3Sir Vernon Treatt20 March 194610 August 1954Resigned8 years, 143 days
4Murray Robson17 August 195420 September 1955Deposed1 year, 34 days
5Pat Morton20 September 195517 July 1959Deposed3 years, 300 days
6Sir Robert Askin17 July 19593 January 19751965–1975Retired15 years, 170 days
7Tom Lewis3 January 197523 January 19761975–1976Deposed1 year, 20 days
8Sir Eric Willis23 January 197616 December 19771976Resigned1 year, 327 days
9Peter Coleman16 December 19777 October 1978Lost seat at 1978 election295 days
10John Mason24 October 197829 May 1981Deposed2 years, 217 days
11Bruce McDonald1 June 198112 October 1981Lost seat at 1981 election133 days
12John Dowd20 October 198115 March 1983Resigned1 year, 146 days
13Nick Greiner15 March 198324 June 19921988–1992Resigned due to an ICAC investigation and prior to a no confidence motion9 years, 101 days
14John Fahey24 June 19924 April 19951992–1995Resigned following 1995 election2 years, 284 days
15Peter Collins4 April 19957 December 1998Deposed3 years, 247 days
16Kerry Chikarovski7 December 199828 March 2002Deposed3 years, 111 days
17John Brogden28 March 200229 August 2005Resigned3 years, 154 days
18Peter Debnam1 September 20054 April 2007Resigned following 2007 election1 year, 218 days
19Barry O'Farrell4 April 200716 April 20142011–2014Resigned due to an ICAC investigation7 years, 9 days
20Mike Baird17 April 201423 January 20172014–2017Retired2 years, 282 days
21Gladys Berejiklian23 January 20175 October 20212017–2021Resigned due to an ICAC investigation4 years, 255 days
22Dominic Perrottet5 October 202125 March 20232021–2023Resigned following the 2023 New South Wales state election1 year, 171 days
23Mark Speakman21 April 2023present262 days

Deputy leaders

Party LeaderStart of TermEnd of Term
Athol Richardson19451945
Vernon Treatt19461946
Walter Howarth19461954
Robert Askin19541959
Eric Willis19591975
John Maddison19751977
John Mason19771978
Bruce McDonald19781981
Jim Cameron19811981
Kevin Rozzoli19811983
Rosemary Foot19831986
Peter Collins19861992
Bruce Baird19921994
Kerry Chikarovski19941995
Ron Phillips19951999
Barry O'Farrell19992002
Chris Hartcher20022003
Barry O'Farrell20032007
Jillian Skinner20072014
Gladys Berejiklian20142017
Dominic Perrottet20172021
Stuart Ayres20212022
Matt Kean20222023
Natalie Ward2023present

Election results

Election Seats won ± Total votes  % Position Leader
1947
18 / 90
 Increase6 470,485 29.60% Opposition Vernon Treatt
1950
29 / 94
 Increase11 604,428 37.51% Opposition Vernon Treatt
1953
22 / 94
 Decrease9 432,739 27.94% Opposition Vernon Treatt
1956
27 / 94
 Increase5 594,740 35.11% Opposition Pat Morton
1959
28 / 94
 Increase1 603,718 35.35% Opposition Pat Morton
1962
25 / 94
 Decrease3 671,716 34.85% Opposition Bob Askin
1965
31 / 94
 Increase6 807,868 39.59% Minority Coalition Bob Askin
1968
39 / 94
 Increase4 831,514 38.47% Coalition Bob Askin
1971
32 / 96
 Decrease7 799,801 35.74% Coalition Bob Askin
1973
34 / 99
 Increase2 843,325 33.85% Coalition Bob Askin
1976
30 / 99
 Decrease4 978,886 36.29% Opposition Eric Willis
1978
18 / 99
 Decrease12 754,796 26.98% Opposition Peter Coleman
1981
14 / 99
 Decrease4 775,463 27.62% Opposition Bruce McDonald
1984
22 / 99
 Increase8 967,395 32.17% Opposition Nick Greiner
1988
39 / 109
 Increase17 1,147,613 35.80% Coalition Nick Greiner
1991
32 / 99
 Decrease7 1,053,100 34.16% Minority Coalition Nick Greiner
1995
29 / 99
 Decrease3 1,121,190 32.84% Opposition John Fahey
1999
20 / 93
 Decrease9 927,368 24.82% Opposition Kerry Chikarovski
2003
20 / 93
 Steady0 944,888 24.72% Opposition John Brogden
2007
22 / 93
 Increase2 1,061,269 26.94% Opposition Peter Debnam
2011
51 / 93
 Increase29 1,602,457 38.58% Coalition Barry O'Farrell
2015
37 / 93
 Decrease14 1,545,168 35.08% Coalition Mike Baird
2019
35 / 93
 Decrease2 1,456,010 31.99% Coalition Gladys Berejiklian
2023
25 / 93
 Decrease10 1,259,253 26.78% Opposition Dominic Perrottet

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ The party's figures from 2019 are allegedly 17,560, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.[3] In 2021 it was reported by Crikey, citing supplied figures from the Grattan Institute, that the party's membership was numbered at 11,906, as of 2020.[4] The total membership figures of the Liberal–National Coalition in New South Wales are 14,942 as of 2020.

References

  1. ↑ Sakkal, Paul (7 July 2023). "New NSW Liberal president confronts preselection tensions". The Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 July 2023.
  2. ↑ "Jason Falinski elected NSW Liberal Party President". nswliberal.org.au. New South Wales Liberal Party. 7 July 2023. NSW Liberal Party Members have elected successful businessman and former Member for Mackellar Jason Falinski as the Division's State President.
  3. ↑ Hannam, Peter (4 October 2020). "'Shocked': quarter of Nationals members quit since coming to power". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  4. ↑ Hardaker, David (30 July 2021). "National party membership tumbles in NSW, Greens now have more". Crikey. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  5. ↑ Nicole A. Thomas; Tobias Loetscher; Danielle Clode; Mike Nicholls (2012). "Right-Wing Politicians Prefer the Emotional Left". PLOS ONE. 7 (5): 4. Bibcode:2012PLoSO...736552T. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.270.2043. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0036552. PMC 3342249. PMID 22567166. The Liberal Party of Australia has an ideology in line with liberal conservatism and is therefore right of centre.
  6. 1 2 https://amp.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/mar/27/the-liberal-brand-is-tarnished-some-hard-truths-must-be-faced-in-the-wake-of-another-election-loss
  7. 1 2 https://junkee.com/nsw-liberals-victoria-freakout/184042
  8. 1 2 Rabe, Tom; Maley, Jacqueline (8 August 2019). "Conservative Christian plot to take 'control' of NSW Liberal Party". The Sydney Morning Herald.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. 1 2 Rose, Tamsin (22 March 2022). "NSW Liberal MP criticised after speaking at anti-vaccination rally". The Guardian.
  10. ↑ "Constitution of the Liberal Party of Australia, New South Wales Division" (PDF). elections.nsw.gov.au. New South Wales Liberal Party. 5 August 2022. p. 4. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 August 2023. The name of the Division is 'The Liberal Party of Australia, New South Wales Division'.
  11. ↑ "U.A.P. Dissolved - New Body In N.S.W." The West Australian. 9 November 1943. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
  12. ↑ "Agreement Reached by 3 Non-Labor Parties - C.P. Gives Support, Preserves Identity". The Daily Telegraph. 5 November 1943. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
  13. ↑ "L.D. Delegates Walked Out". The Herald. 24 November 1943. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
  14. 1 2 3 4 "Labor Haters Won't Talk "Unity" With Menzies At Helm". Worker. 4 September 1944. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
  15. ↑ ""Democratic Party" Formed". Sydney Morning Herald. 25 November 1943. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
  16. ↑ "Democratic Party". The Mercury. 10 December 1943. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
  17. ↑ "Mr Mair resigns". Sydney Morning Herald 10 February 1944 p4. Australian National Library. 10 February 1944. Retrieved 11 January 2009.
  18. ↑ "Election prospects: Discord in opposition". Sydney Morning Herald 24 May 1944 p2. Australian National Library. 24 May 1944. Retrieved 11 January 2009.
  19. ↑ "Parties will unite". Sydney Morning Herald 26 August 1944 p4. Australian National Library. 26 August 1944. Retrieved 11 January 2009.
  20. ↑ "Forming the Liberal Party of Australia - Record of the Conference of Representatives of Non-Labor Organisations" (PDF). 16 October 1944. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 November 2019. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  21. ↑ "Executives Elected By Liberals". The Daily Telegraph. 5 January 1945. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
  22. ↑ "Mr. W. H. Spooner Elected Chairman Liberal Party". The Dubbo Liberal and Macquarie Advocate. 9 January 1945. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
  23. ↑ "Liberal Democratic Party dissolved". Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate. 16 January 1945. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
  24. ↑ "Democratic Party". Barrier Miner. 16 January 1945. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
  25. ↑ "Why Mr. Weaver Resigned". Sydney Morning Herald. 7 March 1945. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
  26. ↑ "Mr. Weaver to Remain in Liberal Party". Sydney Morning Herald. 6 March 1945. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
  27. ↑ "The first Liberal for 30 years". The Sun. 11 February 1945. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
  28. ↑ "Liberal Party - Parliamentary Section Formed". National Advocate. 21 April 1945. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
  29. ↑ "Change of Name for Parlt. Party". The Daily Telegraph. 21 April 1945. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
  30. 1 2 3 "NSW Liberal preselection crisis: why Morrison and Perrottet want to rush case to high court". The Guardian. 30 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  31. ↑ "Court asked to rule in long-running Liberal Party power struggle over who gets to choose candidates in NSW seats". ABC News. 24 February 2022.
  32. ↑ "Court settles stoush between Liberal Party NSW and federal executives". ABC News. 25 February 2022.
  33. ↑ "NSW Liberals to consider fresh preselection plan to avoid federal intervention". The Guardian. 2 March 2022.
  34. ↑ "Preselection peace deal blocked by NSW Liberals executive but could form basis of federal intervention". The Guardian. 2 March 2022.
  35. ↑ "Federal Liberals step in over NSW stoush". 7News. 4 March 2022.
  36. ↑ "Federal arm of Liberal Party takes over NSW branch for not complying with preselection rules". Canberra Times. 4 March 2022.
  37. ↑ "PM avoids minister pre-selection stoush". 7News. 8 March 2022. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  38. ↑ "Scott Morrison, Dominic Perrottet and Christine McDiven take over NSW Liberals branch for second time in a month". Canberra Times. 27 March 2022.
  39. ↑ "Scott Morrison's court win as appeal against NSW Liberal pre-selections dismissed". ABC News. 5 April 2022.
  40. ↑ "High Court throws out challenge to NSW Liberal preselections, clearing way for Prime Minister to call federal election". ABC News. 8 April 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  41. ↑ "Liberal preselection challenger kicked out of party due to court case". Sydney Morning Herald. 7 April 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  42. ↑ "Leaders of the NSW Liberal Party". Parliament of New South Wales. Archived from the original on 2 December 2019. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
  43. ↑ Liberal Party of Australia (New South Wales Division) (2009). "Leaders of the Liberal Party – Past and Present". Archived from the original on 20 July 2008. Retrieved 29 October 2009.
  44. 1 2 Parliament of New South Wales. "Former Members Index A-Z". Retrieved 20 September 2019.
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