‘I’m in 100 per cent’: Kellie Sloane on her appointment as the new NSW Liberal leader

Key Concepts

• New South Wales Opposition Leader: The primary role of the individual interviewed.
• Voter Confidence: A recurring theme regarding public perception and electoral success.
• Infrastructure Funding: The challenge of financing large-scale projects, including the role of privatization and public-private partnerships.
• Energy Policy: Debates surrounding net-zero targets, renewable energy, coal assets, and gas as part of the energy mix, particularly in New South Wales.
• Coalition Cohesion: Maintaining unity within the Liberal-National coalition, especially on contentious issues like net-zero.
• Immigration Policy: Balancing migration intake with the provision of infrastructure, housing, and community support, alongside concerns about declining birth rates.
• Fertility Support: Reintroducing IVF rebates and other measures to boost the birth rate.
• Workers' Compensation Reforms: Disagreements over proposed reforms and their impact on businesses and injured workers.
• Leadership Transition: The unexpected nature of the leadership change and the individual's preparedness for the role.

New South Wales Opposition Leader Kelly Sloan Interview Summary

Introduction and Initial Challenges

The interview introduces Kelly Sloan, the new New South Wales Opposition Leader, shortly after her accession to the role. Sloan acknowledges the "very big few days" and addresses an incident of being heckled in Western Sydney. She characterizes the hecklers as "political activists" rather than representative of the community, stating that such encounters are part of the job and will not deter her from engaging with the public. She draws a parallel to Peter Debnam's experience in the 2007 election, where the Labor party targeted his seat of Vaucluse. Sloan dismisses concerns about her electorate of Vaucluse, a "posh part of the world," and the potential for housing development to be used against her, asserting that voters will focus on her policy platform rather than her residence. She highlights her diverse background, including growing up in the country, working in Western Sydney, and being publicly educated, as providing a valuable perspective for the voters of New South Wales.

Leadership Transition and Motivation

Sloan describes her ascent to leadership as "accidental" and not part of her original plan to serve a full first term before considering leadership. She quotes a friend saying, "Sometimes you don't choose your timing in politics. The timing can choose you." She emphasizes her readiness to "jump in the deep end" and her commitment to providing a "clear difference" from what she perceives as an "incredibly uninspiring" Labor government, led by a "nice guy" Premier Chris Minns, who she believes lacks depth and ambition for New South Wales.

Sloan was "finally convinced" to run for leadership only in the final couple of days, following discussions with colleagues. She had a "friendly chat" with Mark Speakman, acknowledging it was a "hard chat" but ultimately amicable. Upon accepting the role, she is "in 100%" and committed to being a "committed leader." She admits to weighing the pros and cons, but ultimately, the reasons to take on the role outweighed the reservations.

Policy Stances and Future Ambitions

Infrastructure and Privatization

Sloan addresses the previous coalition government's success in infrastructure through privatization. She notes that Premier Chris Minns won on a platform opposing privatization. When questioned about whether privatization is ruled out, Sloan states that the opposition wants to be "ambitious for more projects" but acknowledges the need to "figure out how we're going to pay for them." While not having immediate answers, she commits to working with colleagues. She references Mark Speakman's ambition for another metro line connecting communities and suggests that funding will require determining "what sort of, you know, private investment could be involved" and "public private partnerships." She admits she has not yet delved into the specific details of these funding mechanisms.

Inter-State Liberal Leadership

Sloan has exchanged messages with Jess Wilson, the new Liberal leader in Victoria, describing her as "incredibly generous" and a "smart woman." She expresses excitement for Wilson's potential in Victoria.

Female Leadership and Political Context

When asked if she feels like she's been brought in to "clean up the political mess," Sloan firmly states she "wasn't dragged here" and "put my hand up firmly." She is "here to serve the people of New South Wales" and the party, viewing making a difference as success.

Regarding Susan Lee, the Liberal leader in Canberra, Sloan acknowledges Lee's "extraordinary story" and resilience through a "bumpy ride." She notes that both she and Jess Wilson had "unanimous support" from their respective party rooms, which she believes "does help." She expresses hope that Liberal colleagues will work through their issues.

Energy Policy and Net Zero

Sloan declines to judge the Federal Liberals' decision on net zero. She confirms that the New South Wales Liberal Party room decided to "stick to the course" with their targets, focusing on "affordable and reliable energy in New South Wales" and providing business confidence. She highlights that New South Wales has "different circumstances" and a "practical roll out" compared to the Commonwealth. The New South Wales approach involves "renewables, probably sweating some of those coal assets, definitely having gas as part of the mix." Her focus, in conjunction with National colleagues, is on addressing Labor's "bungled roll out," the "pain in regional communities," and "increasing energy prices."

When pressed on whether she might not commit to net zero by 2050, Sloan clarifies, "No, that's not what I'm saying at all." She is committed to representing the "will of the party room last week" and will not overturn a recent decision.

Regarding the New South Wales Nationals' stance on net zero, Sloan acknowledges their position and their strong representation of their communities. She emphasizes the need for collaboration and compromise, stating, "We need to stop talking about them [net zero] because they are a target a quarter of a century away and the pain in communities is being felt now." She believes that relationships are key to keeping the coalition together and that they can "work through it." She suggests that figuring out how to support communities struggling under Labor's energy rollout is the answer, potentially through compensation packages. However, she states she will not dictate to the Nationals and respects their opinions, emphasizing the need for compromise from both sides.

Immigration and Population Growth

Sloan believes that migration intake needs to be "balanced with our ability to provide infrastructure, housing, and support for communities." She notes the declining birth rate in New South Wales and across the country (1.48 babies per woman), which is "not enough to support you and I when we're older and we need extra taxpayers." Therefore, immigration is important, but "getting the balance right is also important."

Fertility Support and "Baby Recession"

Sloan expresses disappointment that the Labor government "means-tested" IVF rebates "virtually out of existence," making them inaccessible even to first-year teachers. She highlights that "one in seven families in New South Wales has fertility struggles." She argues that if the aim is to cut immigration, "we need to boost our homegrown community." She advocates for the federal government to consider measures like Peter Costello's "baby bonus" and states, "We are in a baby recession. We need a baby boom."

Housing and Rents

Housing and rents are acknowledged as significant factors.

Workers' Compensation Reforms

Sloan addresses the New South Wales government's claim that the Liberals' refusal to pass workers' compensation reforms in the upper house will lead to businesses paying 36% extra on premiums. She states that her upper house leader, Damian Tudah Hope, a lawyer and shadow treasurer, has been working with Mark Latham to prevent these reforms. Sloan explains that the Labor government wants to "act benefits for seriously injured workers who have no hope of going back to work," while the opposition wants to "address some of the issues at the front end." She confirms that Damian Tudah Hope and the Treasurer are still working on reaching a compromise.

Conclusion

The interview concludes with Sloan reiterating her commitment to her role and thanking the interviewer. The overarching themes are her preparedness for leadership despite its unexpected nature, her focus on providing a clear alternative to the current Labor government, and her commitment to addressing key policy challenges in New South Wales, including infrastructure, energy, population growth, and workers' rights, with a pragmatic and community-focused approach.