News
3 June, 2026
Speculation rife as Smith quits Liberals
Former Liberal MP Nathaniel Smith is remaining tight-lipped over speculation that he is in talks with Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party after quitting the Liberals.
Former Liberal MP Nathaniel Smith is remaining tight-lipped over speculation that he is in talks with Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party after quitting the Liberals.
Mr Smith refused to comment when contacted by The Southern Wire earlier today.
He said he had simply quit the Liberal Party and would focus on his work as CEO of the Master Plumbers Association of NSW.
He said he was busy with work and had ‘a lot of things on his plate’.
Mr Smith had been chair of the Bowral branch of the Liberal Party for more than two years.
The role is now expected to be filled on a casual basis until nominations are called for a new chair.
Mr Smith was the Liberal MP for Wollondilly from 2019 until 2023 when he was defeated by independent Judy Hannan.
He was the Liberal candidate for Whitlam in the 2025 Federal election but was defeated by Labor candidate Carol Berry – despite a small swing against Labor towards the Liberals on a two-candidate preferred basis.
If speculation is true, Mr Smith could stand as a One Nation candidate for Wollondilly at the next state election in March next year (2027) or Whitlam in the next Federal election in 2028.
The timing of his resignation means that he could help build One Nation’s profile locally and have a tilt at either seat and go head-to-head – again – with two of his biggest political foes.
Recent research conducted by Redbridge/Accent shows support for One Nation is at an historic high.
More than 60 seats could change hands at the next Federal election with the majority of those going to One Nation – making it the second largest party and official Opposition.
A predicted Coalition collapse could be so large that it might not win any seats in Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia or Tasmania.
A number of prominent Liberals have already jumped ship to One Nation including former MLC and Wollondilly deputy mayor Lou Amato.
“If anyone still supports the two major parties I don’t know how to help them,” Mr Amato told a One Nation meeting in Bowral earlier this year.
At the same meeting it was evident that support for One Nation locally was increasingly rapidly but the party would find it hard to gain traction without a candidate.
Mr Smith – a married father of two – trained as a plumber but has a long history in politics including four years as a councillor with Kogarah City Council between 2012 and 2016.
He is deeply religious and used his maiden speech in the Legislative Assembly in 2019 to thank “our Heavenly Father for the capabilities he has given me, for the upbringing and guidance that has allowed me to develop my abilities and for the opportunities that he has presented me throughout my life to this point”.
Mr Smith is the son of former NSW Attorney General and Minister for Justice Greg Smith.
Mr Smith senior was the Liberal Member for Epping from 2007 to 2015.
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