The opposition in New South Wales is in complete disarray following a stand-off between the leaders of the coalition partners.
The Nationals party room chat has been leaked to Daily Mail Australia revealing just how serious the fallout from the crisis is becoming.
In the chat, one MP fumed over the publication of “contradictory” press statements from Nationals leader Dugald Saunders and Liberal opposition leader Mark Speakman.
Tweed MP Geoff Provest also fired a warning shot that the agreement between the two parties cannot simply be torn up without consultation, demanding an urgent meeting in the party room or he would leave the party.
Text fireworks erupted after Speakman visited the state seat of Wagga Wagga this week and met local independent MP Joe McGirr.
However, the whirlwind visit did not go down well with Nationalist MP Wes Fang, who took to social media to criticise his coalition leader, clearly upset at not being included in the trip.
Mr Fang – also the National Party’s upper house leader and Coalition frontbencher – described Mr Speakman as “dishonest”, who was only “pretending” to care about Wagga Wagga and “sneaking around” in the town.
Fang even suggested that the Liberal leader’s time was up and he should go.
Leaked texts between NSW Nationalist MP Geoff Provest and state party leader Dugald Sanders reflect turmoil occurring in the state coalition
Mr. Provest was easily convinced that the rift between the coalition parties was not serious.
“That should tell you all you need to know about the longevity of ‘Speako’ leadership,” Fang’s social media post concluded.
Mr Speakman responded by issuing a press release yesterday sacking Mr Fang from the Coalition front office.
He said Mr Fang’s social media post made his position “untenable” and Mr Speakman invited Nationals leader Dugald Saunders to appoint another National to fill the vacant seat.
But Mr Saunders has defied the opposition leader’s attempt to sack Mr Fang, issuing his own press statement late yesterday stating that only he, as leader, can sack a Nationals member from his front bench.
Since the Coalition agreement is not publicly available, it is difficult to know who is right about that interpretation.
Saunders made it clear he would not sack Fang, meaning his Nationals colleague would continue in his position at the Coalition front despite Speakman’s attempt to oust him.
NSW National Party leader Dugald Saunders faces a potential split after differing with NSW leader Mark Speakman over the fate of an MP.
NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman’s (pictured) visit to the state seat of Wagga Wagga did not go down well with Nationals MP Wes Fang, who took to social media to criticise his Coalition leader, clearly upset at not being included on the trip.
It has created an untenable situation for the leaders of both parties, with the possibility that one or both will lose their position as leader, or that the coalition agreement between the parties could even break down completely.
Daily Mail Australia has exclusively received text message correspondence from the Nationals party room group chat which highlights the escalating situation.
The most senior member of the Nationals party room, Mr Provest, wrote in the chat: “The coalition agreement cannot be broken without any consultation or discussion in our party room.”
He requested an urgent meeting of the party chamber to resolve the matter.
Tweed MP Geoff Provest was determined to hold a party room meeting to address the apparent rift between the Coalition partners.
Mr Provest wrote that if a meeting was not called he would be forced to “consider my membership of the National Party”.
Seeking to downplay the untenable situation, the Nationals leader responded by writing that he and Mr Speakman “are operating on very good terms” and “there is absolutely no talk of our agreement breaking down”.
However, the veteran Nationals MP didn’t buy the spin his leader was peddling and responded candidly: ‘With all due respect Dugald, you and Mark are clearly not operating on “very good terms”; Otherwise, the two directly contradictory press releases would not have been issued.
“This is something extraordinary in my time in Parliament. I insist that a meeting of the party plenum be held to consider the continuation of the coalition agreement. The party plenum must be consulted. Would you call a meeting of the party plenum to discuss this matter?”
The crisis in the NSW Coalition was sparked by an extraordinary social media post by Nationalist MP Wes Fang criticizing Mr Speakman.
The Nationals leader replied briefly: “Sure, buddy, leave it to me.”
Daily Mail Australia understands there is a desire within the Nationals to terminate the Coalition agreement, however there are also concerns that doing so could be counterproductive for the Coalition’s junior partner.
Liberals are concerned that if the coalition remains intact – unless the National leader reverses course and agrees to remove Fang as premier – the opposition leader’s authority will be “shattered,” as one Liberal MP put it.