Liberal activists prepare to fight for federal preselections
A GROUP of Liberals is concerned the party’s dominant faction is looking to delay or cancel preselections to protect veteran conservative MP Kevin Andrews.
National
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A GROUP of Liberals is preparing a plan for an emergency State Council meeting if the party’s leadership fails to open federal preselections when the state’s new electoral boundaries are gazetted next month.
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The group, which includes veteran party activists, is worried the party’s dominant factional grouping, led by young turk numbers man Marcus Bastiaan and Assistant Minister to the Treasurer Michael Sukkar, is looking for an excuse to delay or cancel preselections in order to protect veteran conservative MP Kevin Andrews, who is under threat in his seat of Menzies.
A senior party figure in the group said they would trigger the emergency State Council meeting, which required the signatures of 50 State Council members.
The move comes as the party prepares for the result of its lawsuit against the Cormack Foundation, its largest donor, which is due to be handed down this week.
Asked about former premier Jeff Kennett’s call on Sky News yesterday for him to stand down, Liberal Party state president Michael Kroger laughed and said: “Let’s wait and see what happens with the decision on Thursday.”
Originally published as Liberal activists prepare to fight for federal preselections