Biological-sex campaigner Katherine Deves’ bid for key seat

A mother who has campaigned for stricter definitions of biological sex in sports has put forward a nomination to take on a high-profile independent.

An outspoken campaigner for strict definitions of biological sex in sport has submitted a nomination to the NSW Liberal Party to run against independent Zali Steggall in the federal seat of Warringah.

Lawyer Katherine Deves put forward her nomination on Thursday evening just hours after the NSW state executive passed a motion to reopen nominations in the seat, which has been plagued by factional infighting that’s part of a broader internal party row.

In her submission, the co-founder of Save Women’s Sport lobby group asked to be granted an exemption as she did not meet the requirement of having a continuous six-month financial Liberal membership.

“I am a Warringah local resident with strong intracommunity connection and support for my candidacy,” she wrote.

Katherine Deves says there needs to be more female candidates in the Liberal Party.

She also pointed out that the only two other people to have signalled their intention to nominate were men.

“The Liberal Party has set a target for the proportion of candidates who shall be female to be 50 per cent,” she said.

“The party cannot realistically expect to achieve this constitutional target if it does not make allowance for the reasons why women may not be able to maintain continuous membership and involvement.”

Ms Deves – who informally supported Ms Steggall’s campaign to oust Tony Abbott in 2019 – explained that her membership was interrupted due to the demands of being a mum to three young children.

“Child rearing is an important focus and should not be the basis upon which they are rendered ineligible for candidacy,” she said.

Ms Deves has campaigned for strict definitions of biological gender to separate male and female sporting competitors, saying trans women have an unfair advantage.

Lincoln Parker won’t bow out of the race, sources say.

“Males and females are distinct biological categories, we are different and that begins in the womb not long after conception … humans cannot change sex, males have a distinct performance advantage due to their biological sex,” she told radio station 2GB earlier this year.

The NSW division granted Ms Deves’ an exemption 21 votes for, three against and one non-response.

She will be up against Queenscliff resident and Defence analyst Lincoln Parker, who had already nominated and is understood to have told members he won’t bow out.

The state executive rejected a motion to endorse Mr Parker as a candidate this week without a plebiscite.

Disability campaigner David Brady is also expected to nominate, with the state executive also failing to pass a motion to endorse him in recent weeks.

NCA NewsWire has obtained a copy of a furious letter sent to Prime Minister Scott Morrison by the former president of the Warringah Federal Electorate Conference on Thursday night warning the NSW division seemed to be in“free fall”.

Save Women's Sport Australasia founder Katherine Deves says she shouldn’t be deemed ineligible for being a mum. Picture: Kenji Sato

“The factional machinations that go to the highest levels in our party are creating the real possibility of a Labor government at a time of great international upheaval and uncertainty,” Condamine branch president Walter Villatora wrote.

“This goes to national security and the national interest.”

In the letter, Mr Villatora voices his support for Mr Parker to be chosen as the person to take on Ms Steggall for the Liberal Party.

He also raises concern the Left faction will vote in Mr Brady, who is not from the area.

“Self-interest has prevailed, from the Left faction in particular, to reopen the nominations that closed in January for the purpose of imposing an out of area, Left faction candidate, who is ineligible,” the letter said.

“Are we trying to disenfranchise our members and supporters? The current situation is causing enormous disunity within the party only weeks out from a critically important federal election. “It is in fact pitting the grassroots membership against the political class within the party.

“Is controlling a branch of the Liberal Party more important than the national interest?”

Nominations for Warringah closed at 5pm Friday.

Originally published as Biological-sex campaigner Katherine Deves’ bid for key seat