Politics

NSW

Liberal Party

Opinion

Alexandra Smith State Political Editor November 20, 2025 — 5.00am

Here is a tale of two executions. One was brutal, but swift. The other slow, poorly planned and only half-finished.

The first was how the Victorian Liberals dealt with their ailing leader this week. The second is the NSW Liberals’ approach to felling Mark Speakman, a cruel process which has dragged on for months.

The Victorian Liberals are a textbook example of how to pull off a leadership coup with as little pain as possible. A day’s notice, a challenger and the new leader Jess Wilson was installed. The NSW Liberals, meanwhile, have mortally wounded Speakman and no one is prepared to finish the job.

His MPs have been bemoaning the Coalition’s lack of direction, blaming Spea

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