NSW Liberals threaten legal action amid council election fiasco

The Liberal Party’s NSW director Richard Shields has been sacked after the “debacle”, which could see up to a dozen Sydney councils hold an election without any Liberal candidates on September 14.

And yesterday, the commission refused a request by the party to extend the nomination period until this coming Wednesday.

“The letter requested an extension of the nomination period from Wednesday, 14 August until Wednesday, 21 August,” the commission said.

Acting Electoral Commissioner Dr Matthew Phillips “has determined not to extend the nomination period”.

This afternoon, the party called on the commission to change its mind, accusing it of making an error of its own.

“In its Election Notice dated 9 August 2024, the NSW Electoral Commission wrongly published the formal notification of the election and called for nomination proposals five days before the close for nominations, instead of the required minimum of seven days as mandated by clause 288(1) of the Local Government (General) Regulation 2021 (NSW),” the party said in a statement.

“This mistake is not just a technicality—it goes to the heart of ensuring a fair and transparent election.”

The party said the granting of an extension would be well within the commission’s powers.

“This is about more than just a date—it’s about the NSW Electoral Commission’s responsibility to ensure that the electoral process is conducted fairly and without avoidable complications,” the party said.

“Should the NSW Electoral Commission fail to act, the Liberal Party of Australia NSW Division will be left with no other option but to pursue legal avenues to compel it to extend the nomination deadline.

“Urgent action is the only way to potentially preserve the 14 September 2024 election date and potentially avoid wasting taxpayers’ money and resources.”