Liberal ‘understanding’ had given Barra a clear run … until the PM’s man stepped in

In this week’s The Sauce, read about how the Coalition blew up its chances of securing two seats in parliament; and Transport Minister Andrew Constance’s surprising Zoom party room meeting.

• Eden-Monaro race in chaos over C-bomb
• Ex-Nats leader lashes out over Eden Monaro debacle

Nationals leader John Barilaro could have had a clear run in Eden-Monaro, with senior Liberals working on a deal to not put up a candidate in exchange for an unopposed run elsewhere.

After sitting Labor MP Mike Kelly called it quits, it can be revealed senior Left and Right factional members of the NSW State Executive held talks to give the Nats the seat in return for a seat such as Gilmore.

Nationals leader John Barilaro could have had a clear run in Eden-Monaro. Picture: Britta Campion

However, the talks fell apart after the PM declared the party would be running, with his right-hand man, federal minister Alex Hawke, immediately ordering NSW Liberal State Director Chris Stone to conduct a fax ballot on the party engaging in a three-cornered contest.

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It’s understood Hawke had wanted to install Senator Jim Molan in the seat to later put one of his own in the Senate.

However matters quickly became complicated after Transport Minister Andrew Constance also hit the phones to the executive for their support, with the Bega MP allegedly calling his parliamentary colleague Mark Coure, who is Premier Gladys Berejiklian’s representative on the committee.

The PM’s right-hand man Alex Hawke. Picture: Kym Smith

The calls by Constance not only surprised the executive — and some of his parliamentary colleagues — but also his staff. We’re told he had indicated to them that he was not interested in running.

As for Barilaro, it is understood the NSW Nationals leader believed Constance to have also been talking to Nationals leader Michael McCormack about his potential candidacy.

Constance himself told Barilaro the talks only occurred after Barilaro had withdrawn.

Either way, with Molan pulling out after realising his chances of winning were remote at best, and Constance also withdrawing after learning he did not have the full support of his branches, many Liberals have been left fuming.

As for who to blame, one senior party official is pointing the finger squarely at Hawke.

“The Coalition could have secured two seats — Eden-Monaro and one other, possibly Gilmore — if we’d done a deal,” a senior party official said.

“Instead, Hawke rushed off seeking a fax ballot before a candidate had been locked down.

“He is supposed to be advising the PM, but instead he’s engaging in university politics and now we are left with having to spend a million dollars on a seat we have even less of a chance of winning.”

MUTE BUTTON

It was a “very quiet” Constance who participated in the Coalition’s Zoom “party room” meeting on Friday.

Some of his colleagues mused that “Bega”, as he is nicknamed, may have accidentally hit the mute button. More than likely the short-lived prospective candidate for Eden-Monaro was lying low after suffering the humiliation of being stripped of his Leader of the House role over his handling of his candidacy (we’re being kind).

Transport Minister Andrew Constance was very quiet during the Coalition’s party room Zoom meeting this week. Picture: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

Either way, one party-room source said he “gave not a peep”. Where was the mute button earlier this week?

Still on Zoom, the home furnishings of MPs have become a key talking point within the Coalition, especially Liberal MP Adam Crouch, who fronts sessions with a picture of the Queen in the background.

Corrections Minister Anthony Roberts has personally-signed framed photographs of Prince Phillip, former PM John Howard and ex-UK prime minister Margaret Thatcher.

We’re told Liberal MP Alister Henskens has a “floor to ceiling” collection of law books as his backdrop. One MP yesterday accused the Senior Counsel barrister of “auditioning for the role of Attorney-General”.

“He is not sitting there by accident,” the MP said.

TEED OFF
While the NSW Liberals were scrambling on Friday to finalise nominations for Eden-Monaro after gaining and losing a candidate in less than 24 hours, the mood over at the Nationals head office was decidedly calm.

“I’m about to go and play golf,” NSW Nationals chair Andrew Fraser told The Sauce when we called the veteran former MP.

Asked if the party would be putting up a candidate, Fraser said this would be decided “in due course”.

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Originally published as Liberal ‘understanding’ had given Barra a clear run … until the PM’s man stepped in