The federal Liberal executive has intervened in the New South Wales party, demanding it appoint a temporary committee of three to run the troubled division after the failure to nominate candidates for some council seats.
On Tuesday the federal executive was briefed on the content of Brian Loughnane’s snap review of the NSW Liberals, which party sources told Guardian Australia was “scathing” about both the nomination failure and the preparedness to contest the federal election.
The executive called for the appointment of Chris Stone as the state director of the NSW division, a move to re-appoint the former state director after the sacking of Richard Shields over the council nomination failure.
Last month the NSW branch of the party was thrown into chaos after failing to lodge nominations for 140 candidates in 16 councils before the local government elections, to be held later this month.
In a statement on Tuesday the federal executive said it had “requested that the NSW division appoint three eminent Australians as a committee of management to replace its state executive” for a period of 10 months, in the lead-up to the federal election, due by May 2025.
It recommended the appointment of former party president Alan Stockdale, former NSW planning minister Rob Stokes and Howard-era communications minister Richard Alston. The NSW division has until next Thursday to comply with the request.
A Liberal source told Guardian Australia that women in the party had been “shocked to see not a single woman appointed”.
“The party would have benefited from a woman’s counsel in a senior position,” they said.
The federal executive said: “We owe it to our thousands of members in the state to address the challenges within the organisational wing of the NSW division.
“More importantly, we owe it to the millions of Australians who are relying on the Liberal party to return Australia to good government after the next election to get our house in order.”
The move to appoint a committee of three appears to confirm moderates’ fears that the Loughnane review would be used as a pretext to usher in federal intervention including sidelining other officials, such as president Don Harwin.
Liberals sources told Guardian Australia that the appointment of administrators would effectively displace and suspend the term of state executive and officeholders, such as the president.
The NSW Liberal leader, Mark Speakman, said he welcomed Stone’s proposed appointment.
“This is the outcome I have working to achieve, including through extensive conversations with Chris, since the recent termination of the previous state director,” Speakman said in a statement.
“Chris brings a wealth of experience as a seasoned administrator of the NSW Liberal party, with an in-depth understanding of the complexities of political operations.”
“I look forward to discussions over the coming days about the precise composition of any committee.
“The proposed appointees have significant experience, but I would welcome the inclusion of an experienced female in this crucial role.
“Views may differ on the scope and purpose of the committee, but what is more important is that all Liberals unite to defeat the Albanese Labor government and the Minns Labor government.”
Earlier on Tuesday the federal Liberal leader, Peter Dutton, was asked if the NSW division of the Liberal party “is competent enough to support your election campaign there and are you still considering federal intervention”.
He replied: “The short answer is yes. And we must win seats in New South Wales, and we’re polling well in New South Wales at the moment.”
