The NSW Liberals retained the north coast seat of Port Macquarie in Saturday’s byelection, beating the Nationals in a result that will cause deeper ructions between the feuding Coalition partners.
The byelection, sparked by the retirement of Nationals-turned-Liberal MP Leslie Williams, has caused bitter division between the Coalition after the Nationals and Liberals both chose to contest the seat.
Liberal candidate Robert Dwyer beat the Nationals’ Sean Gleeson, who entered the race late after the Nationals’ initial pick Warwick Yonge was sensationally dumped.
NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman and NSW Nationals leader Dugald SaunderCredit: Fairfax Media
In what later proved to be an embarrassing move, NSW Nationals leader Dugald Saunders, deputy Gurmesh Singh and Nationals state and federal MPs from the state’s Mid North Coast announced Yonge at a media conference as the candidate.
Yonge was dumped just days later after the party’s decision-making committee, known as central executive, did not endorse him. He then ran as an independent.
The campaign was marred by infighting throughout. Local media reported that Singh called a Liberal volunteer a “camp little bitch” (Singh has vehemently denied this) while Liberal MP Ray Williams was accused of saying Singh, who has Indian heritage, had “gone to buy a curry” when he went to source a cool drink.
They may be in Coalition, but when it came to the Port Macquarie byelection, the gloves were off.Credit: Instagram
A senior Nationals MP, who wished to remain anonymous to speak freely, said the Coalition partners should not have faced off against each other, unnecessarily stretching resources before a federal poll and allowing bad blood to be aired.
“We both ran unknown candidates which did not help either of us but it also just showed what a mess things are,” the MP said.“The Nats have blown this seat, which they should have won.”
