NSW Liberal candidates in local elections are making headlines this week, so what is going on with the NSW Liberal Party?
At least 138 Liberal Party candidates won’t run in the upcoming NSW local council elections, after essential paperwork wasn’t filed on time.
Since then, the party’s state director Richard Shields has been blamed for the error.
Shields was sacked after talks with party officials on Thursday.
Here’s what you need to know.
Local elections
On 14 September, NSW will hold local council elections.
The major parties put forward candidates in most local government areas around the state.
The NSW Electoral Commission, which oversees the state’s elections, set a deadline for nominating candidates: 12pm, Wednesday 14 August.
After that point, no new candidates could register to appear on the ballot.
Deadline
After the deadline passed this week, it became clear the Liberal Party missed its opportunity to nominate candidates in some local council elections.
Council areas which will have no Liberal candidates include Sydney’s Northern Beaches, the Blue Mountains, and Wollongong.
Additionally, analyst Ben Raue, who runs election blog The Tally Room, has estimated the Liberals will miss out on 50 council spots they would have won.
Blame
The Liberal Party state director normally oversees nominations for candidates at federal, state, and local elections.
Shields became the NSW Liberal Party director in September 2023.
In a statement, Shields said he had delegated responsibility for local government nominations to another senior Liberal party figure, Don Harwin.
Shields said he did this so he could focus on the upcoming Federal election, due next year.
Party response
NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman, who heads up the Liberals in State Parliament, called the situation “a monumental debacle”.
He urged Shields to “fall on his sword” — take responsibility and resign.
Shields was also fired on Thursday night.
In a statement today, the Liberal Party said: “What occurred this week is simply not good enough.”
It’s promised to refund nomination fees paid by candidates who now can’t run.
Reaction
In a post to Instagram, current Northern Beaches Deputy Mayor Georgia Ryburn said she was affected by the error.
Ryburn also said she was “saddened, disappointed, and embarrassed” by the party’s failure, which has stopped her from running for re-election.
Wollongong councillor John Dorahy, who planned to run for mayor, has told media the situation is “mind-boggling”.
