Kellie Sloane newly elected Leader of the NSW Liberals and Opposition Leader vows to take the fight to the Minns Labor
State News Report generated with assistance of Google Gemini AI/Fact checking by the Editor A.Ritenis
Sydney,NSW -Friday 21 November,2025
In a significant political shift, Kellie Sloane has been unanimously elected as the new Leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party and, subsequently, the Leader of the Opposition.Her election, which occurred at a Liberal Party room meeting on Friday morning, makes her the third woman to lead the NSW Liberals.2She was elected unopposed after fellow conservative candidate Alister Henskens withdrew from the race. The move also sees the NSW Liberals adopt an all-female leadership team, with Natalie Ward retaining her role as Deputy Leader.
A Career in Media and Public Service
Kellie Sloane, 52, brings a diverse background to the leadership role. Born in the Barossa Valley, South Australia, in 1973, she holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of South Australia, majoring in Journalism.
-
Journalism Career: Sloane enjoyed a decades-long career as a journalist and news presenter. She began at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) in 1993, before joining the Nine Network in 1997. During her 13-year tenure at Nine, she served as a lifestyle series reporter for A Current Affair and Money, hosted Nightline, and briefly co-hosted the Today show in 2007.
-
NGO Work: After leaving journalism in 2010, Sloane moved into the not-for-profit sector.1 She was appointed CEO of Life Education NSW in August 2015, a role she held until 2019, before becoming CEO of Life Education Australia in 2020.
-
Political Entry: Sloane first entered the NSW state parliament as the Member for Vaucluse at the 2023 state election, winning the safe seat comfortably.12 She was rapidly appointed to the opposition frontbench, initially serving as Shadow Minister for the Environment before moving to Shadow Minister for Health in mid-2024, a role she held until her election as leader.
Endorsement from Predecessor Mark Speakman
Sloane’s elevation follows the resignation of Mark Speakman on Thursday afternoon. Mr. Speakman, who had led the party since the last state election in 2023, announced his decision to step down amid internal pressure and poor polling.
Crucially, upon his resignation, Mr. Speakman endorsed Ms. Sloane as his replacement. Speakman said he had been visited by Sloane, who had declared her wish to be the leader, and that a number of colleagues had indicated their preference for “renewal and regeneration” with a new leader. He described Sloane as a friend and fellow moderate, a “great communicator,” and someone with “enormous, enormous leadership potential.”
In a statement following the endorsement, Ms. Sloane thanked Mr. Speakman, saying, “I have enormous respect for Mark and thank him for his leadership of our party. I appreciate his endorsement of me this evening.”
Sloane, who is married to Adam Connolly and has three children, is considered part of NSW’s powerful moderate faction and has garnered support from senior party figures.20 Her first term as an MP, however, presents a challenge, as no first-term Opposition has won an election in NSW or federally since the 1930s.21
She has vowed to take the fight to the Minns Labor government, stating her focus will be on “families and cost of living,” and declared the party room is now united behind her.
Would you like me to focus on a specific aspect of the new leadership, such as her policy priorities or the reaction from the government?
