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NSW Liberal President Jason Falinski will bring the party\u2019s factional warlords together in a bid to implement significant reforms to modernise and improve the performance of the \u201cdysfunctional\u201d state executive.<\/p>\n
The confidential email sent to party powerbrokers on Monday afternoon proposed eight \u201cprinciples\u201d the former federal MP is hoping to discuss, with an eye on an \u201cinterim set of measures\u201d to be passed at the party\u2019s annual general meeting in February.<\/p>\n
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NSW Liberal President Jason Falinski emailed party powerbrokers seeking to discuss major reforms of the party.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Dominic Lorrimer<\/cite><\/p>\n The powerbrokers included in the initial email obtained by the Herald<\/em> are moderates Chris Rath, James Wallace and Mark Coure, conservatives Kevin Connolly and Geoff Pearson, and centre-right representative Sarah Richards.<\/p>\n \u201cI am writing to you as we need to bring a group together in order to find a pathway forward on party reform,\u201d Falinski wrote, proposing an initial conversation tonight via Teams.<\/p>\n The interim measures proposed include drastically cutting the size of the party\u2019s constitution from 277 to 30 pages; reducing the party\u2019s state executive from an unwieldy 27 representatives to 10; and introducing a new \u201cconflict of interest and standards of behaviour\u201d for state executive members, senior conference and branch office holders.<\/p>\n \u201cThe constitution should be reduced to a principles-based document which sets out key requirements for management of our Party. The constitution should NOT contain restrictive terms detailing processes which would be better left to be determined by the State Director,\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n Other proposed reforms include reducing the threshold for \u201cspecial powers\u201d, the ability for state executive to intervene in matters, from 90 per cent of state executive members to 60 per cent, while expanding the scope of reasons for intervention.<\/p>\n \u201cAs Roger Corbett says, if he had a 90 per cent threshold for special resolutions then Woolworths would be broke. This is also supported by the Greiner report,\u201d Falinski said.<\/p>\n The email follows the Liberals\u2019 state election review, led by former premier Nick Greiner and former NSW MP Peta Seaton, which identified a number of failings within the party and apportioned significant blame on the \u201cdysfunction\u201d of the party\u2019s state executive.<\/p>\n In December last year, an effort by then-premier Dominic Perrottet to install more women into the upper house at the expense of incumbent male conservatives descended into acrimony, with the vote on state executive delayed for two days as senior powerbrokers rushed to secure the votes.<\/p>\n A state election review apportioned significant blame for the defeat on the \u201cdysfunction\u201d of the party\u2019s state executive.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>James Brickwood<\/cite><\/p>\n Liberal Party sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to internal rules preventing party matters being discussed publicly with the media, said the initial proposals were unlikely to all be presented at the AGM, saying factional distrust could result in more incremental reforms.<\/p>\n Others said Falinski\u2019s email would ignite fury among branch members, particularly the proposal to create new branches, which they said would be interpreted as an effort to dilute power among certain factions.<\/p>\n The proposed reforms have been discussed within Liberal Party circles since internecine warfare broke out during the 2022 federal election, as conservatives rejected efforts by then-prime minister Scott Morrison and key factional ally Alex Hawke to impose electoral candidates.<\/p>\n After being frustrated for months by a recalcitrant core of resistance, Morrison sought the nuclear option, inviting an unprecedented federal intervention on his own division. The effort ultimately wound up in the High Court, as then Liberal member Matthew Camenzuli sought an injunction to prevent the prime minister\u2019s 12 candidates and MPs from being installed.<\/p>\n Start the day with a summary of the day\u2019s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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