NSW Coalition at risk of collapse after Nationals leader backs Wes Fang in spat with Liberals

NSW Nationals leader Dugald Saunders has gone to war with the state Liberal leader Mark Speakman. Photograph: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

The sacking of a Nationals MP from the New South Wales shadow ministry after he accused the Liberals of “pretending” to care about the Riverina has threatened the state’s longstanding Coalition.

The NSW Liberal party room will meet on Tuesday to discuss the rupture, which is the greatest threat to the Coalition since the then deputy premier John Barilaro threatened to walk away from the agreement over the koala wars in 2020.

Senior Liberals, speaking on the condition of anonymity, on Monday insisted that members of the parliamentary party were genuinely considering if the partnership could continue.

The Nationals member and upper house MP Wes Fang has now been removed from the shadow ministry, according to correspondence by a parliamentary clerk seen by Guardian Australia.

Wagga Wagga-based Fang launched a personal attack on the NSW Liberal leader, Mark Speakman, last week for failing to tell him he was visiting the region to meet with the local independent MP Joe McGirr.

Fang took to Facebook to accuse Speakman of “slinking” into Wagga Wagga and “pretending like the Libs actually care about the Riverina”.

“Did he ask the ‘Coalition’ member who lives in Wagga Wagga and is apparently part of his ‘team’ to have an in-depth discussion of Wagga Wagga issues?” Fang wrote.

“No. In fact, he didn’t even have the courtesy to let me know he was coming.”

The since-deleted post led Speakman to issue a press release on Friday announcing he had “terminated” Fang’s positions as shadow assistant minister for police, emergency services, regional NSW, agriculture and natural resources within the shadow ministry.

“I have invited the leader of the Nationals, Dugald Saunders MP, to nominate another Nationals MP to fill the vacated positions,” he said.

But Saunders quickly and publicly rebuffed Speakman, subsequently issuing a media release that said the Liberal leader did not have the authority to sack a Nationals MP.

“As Wes is a member of the NSW Nationals, myself and my leadership team have formed the view that he is unable to be stood down in this way,” Saunders said.

“Therefore, Wes will continue to serve as shadow assistant minister for police and emergency services, shadow assistant minister for regional NSW, and shadow assistant minister for agriculture and natural resources.

“The NSW Nationals are committed to working with our coalition partners to ensure the best outcomes for NSW.”

Speakman has since insisted he did have the ability – as the leader of the senior coalition partner – to approve or deny any National party picks for the shadow ministry as per the Coalition agreement.

“The rules are the rules,” a Liberal party insider said on Monday. “The hope is that Dugald will provide a [new] name and accept how the rules work.”

The Liberal party room will meet on Tuesday.