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‘Mind-boggling’ nomination failure sparks sacking of NSW Liberal party state director Richard Shields

Administrative bungle leaves party without a senior leader, four weeks out from statewide elections

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Australian Associated Press and Catie McLeod

Fri 16 Aug 2024 12.05 AESTFirst published on Fri 16 Aug 2024 08.04 AEST

The New South Wales Liberals director Richard Shields has been sacked after a “mind-boggling” failure to nominate more than 130 candidates for local government elections.

In a statement issued after an emergency meeting late on Thursday night, the party’s state president, Don Harwin, said its executive had unanimously decided to terminate Shields’ employment over the fiasco.

“The state director was given the opportunity to explain the circumstances to the state executive,” Harwin said.

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“This failure to meet such a fundamental responsibility has rendered his position untenable.

“As a result, the state executive has unanimously resolved to terminate the state director’s employment with immediate effect.”

It leaves the party without a senior leader four weeks out from statewide elections where more than 4 million voters will have their say.

‘Shocked and gutted’: NSW Liberal councillors mull legal action against own party over administrative disaster

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The party’s failure to submit all nomination forms by midday on Wednesday has left eight local councils – including several in party heartland – without a Liberal candidate on the ticket.

A further eight have only partial coverage, such as in Penrith where one ward has only Labor candidates on the ballot.

Shields had resisted resignation calls from the state opposition leader, Mark Speakman, and other senior leaders since Wednesday’s nomination deadline.

In the lead-up to the state executive meeting, a defiant Shields labelled such calls “premature” and shifted blame to the party’s de facto board led by Harwin.

The power broker and former state minister had volunteered to run the local government nomination process, with the executive only picking the last candidate two hours before nominations closed, Shields said.

“There must be a proper review of the nomination process to establish the full facts,” he said.

According to Shields, about 440 candidates were to be nominated but electoral commission data shows only 281 made the cut.

One of those left off – the former rugby league international turned councillor John Dorahy – started his campaign more than four weeks ago.

“A few of my colleagues (including some incumbent councillors) are just beside themselves … the rug has been pulled from under them,” the Wollongong mayoral hopeful said. “It’s mind-boggling, to be honest.”

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The transport minister, Jo Haylen, said the Liberals had let voters down and she could understand why affected candidates would be disappointed.

“People deserve a choice,” she said. “The Liberal party has failed to deliver that opportunity for people across Sydney.”

Haylen, who served as Marrickville’s Labor mayor before she entered state parliament, said councils were a “pathway to state politics” for many MPs.

“There are many reasons why people within the Liberal party are very angry about what has occurred,” she said.

The NSW opposition leader on Thursday conceded the “monumental stuff-up” would damage the Liberals’ brand, including at future state and possibly federal elections.

“It’s a basic matter of competence and administration,” Speakman told reporters, adding that the state director’s position was untenable.

Speakman denied it was a sign the party had lost its way.

Other Liberals have attacked the 26-member state executive, whose troubles also caused the late selection of several candidates for the 2022 federal election.

The federal party leader, Peter Dutton, suggested there needed to be at least two resignations.

Northern Beaches, Lane Cove, Camden and Campbelltown councils are among those affected in Sydney, along with regional councils in Cessnock, Wollongong and the Blue Mountains.