Adelaide Hills Liberal members reject move to return Centre Alliance (NXT) MP Rebekha Sharkie to party

LIBERAL members in the Adelaide Hills have revolted against a bid to return Rebekha Sharkie to the party and bolster the Federal Government’s numbers in parliament.

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LIBERAL members in the Adelaide Hills have revolted against a bid to return Rebekha Sharkie to the party and bolster the Federal Government’s numbers in parliament.

In a backlash, said to involve the state’s most senior Liberal Christopher Pyne, branch leaders in the Hills seat of Mayo have voted to spurn any attempt to bring the ex-Nick Xenophon Team MP back into the party’s ranks.

The move was reported to the PM’s office. The leadership of the Federal Electoral Conference, which runs the party operations in the electorate, are believed to favour Georgina Downer, the daughter of former federal Liberal leader Alexander Downer.

The former foreign minister and outgoing High Commissioner in London represented Mayo from 1984 to 2008.

Rebekha Sharkie in the House of Reps. Picture: Kym Smith

Ms Downer, a political consultant in Melbourne, is believed to be interested in contesting preselection for the seat.

The Advertiser understands Ms Sharkie — who defeated Liberal Jamie Briggs at the 2015 election — had contact with senior Liberals including Mr Pyne, and that Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was aware of the approach.

Ms Sharkie, a former Liberal staffer, said on Thursday she was a member of the Centre Alliance (formerly NXT), she “did not approach the Liberal Party” and “no offers have been made” to her.

Rumours have persisted given NXT’s poor performance at the State Election and the fact that Ms Sharkie may soon be forced to contest a by-election.

A cloud remains over her eligibility for Parliament because she held dual British citizen ship at the close of nominations.

It is understood the move has floundered because Ms Sharkie could not be guaranteed Liberal preselection when, under party rules, she would face a members’ ballot.

The pitch was believed to have been circulated by SA Liberal president John Olsen to gauge support, which prompted the Mayo FEC executive to vote last month to “strongly reject Rebekha Sharkie being approved to rejoin the Liberal Party”.

But senior Liberal sources aligned to Mr Pyne’s moderate faction said the FEC executive was made up of a small group of conservatives and not necessarily representative of the seat’s hundreds of members.

The Advertiser asked Mr Pyne if he had discussions with Ms Sharkie on rejoining the party, if the Coalition would support her referral to the High Court or if he would back Ms Downer’s candidacy in Mayo.

“I don’t comment on internal party matters. Nor private conversations,” he said.