Premier defends Roads Minister Natalie Ward after brutal preselection loss
In a major preselection defeat, NSW parliament’s most senior Liberal MP has failed in her bid to jump to the lower house, shocking her colleagues.
NSW
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Dominic Perrottet has praised Roads Minister Natalie Ward as a future leader of the Liberal party — despite her being brutally rejected by party members at preselection.
“Natalie remains a very strong member of the NSW government … and will continue to be a strong contributor and someone who makes a real difference in NSW parliament,” he said.
“Natalie remains in the Upper House … Natalie is a leading light and a future leader of the Liberal party.”
Ms Ward failed in her bid to jump to the lower house, becoming the third female Liberal MP to be snubbed by preselectors.
In a stunning preselection defeat, Ms Ward lost her chance to contest the northern Sydney seat of Davidson by 10 votes.
Liberals were shocked at the outcome, which marks the second time an upper house Liberal frontbencher has been overlooked for preselection in a lower house seat.
Former staffer Matt Cross won the preselection ballot 95 votes to 85.
The result is a body blow for senior Liberal figures who had encouraged Ms Ward to run for Davidson in a bid to leave the Upper House.
Ms Ward is also the Womens Safety Minister. Liberals were criticising the result on Monday night, expressing their frustration at branch members for the outcome.
Senior Liberals have now failed twice to get upper house women preselected into winnable lower house seats, after Natasha Maclaren-Jones was forced to pull out of the running for Pittwater because she did not have the numbers.
It also comes after Holsworthy MP Melanie Gibbons was sensationally dumped by party members at a preselection ballot last week.
As recently as Monday, senior Liberal figures had insisted that Ms Ward had the numbers to win preselection in Davidson, which is being vacated by speaker Jonathan O’Dea.
She had been encouraged to run for the lower house seat on the behest of Premier Dominic Perrottet – putting her in a contest with Mr Cross, who had been working the local party members for years.
The result puts further pressure on Mr Perrottet to ensure women are selected to run in winnable seats.
Mr Perrottet has made it clear to Liberal MPs and operatives that he wants more women to be endorsed by the party.
However he has so-far failed to increase the number of female candidates running for the Liberal party at the next election.
Originally published as Premier defends Roads Minister Natalie Ward after brutal preselection loss
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