Malcolm Turnbull labelled ‘unhelpful’ in State intervention to save blue-blood seats

NSW Treasurer Matt Kean has labelled Malcolm Turnbull’s promotion of teal independents “unhelpful” in a last-ditch direct appeal to inner city voters.

State Treasurer Matt Kean will write to voters in progressive Liberal seats being targeted by Climate 200-backed independents urging them to re-elect a Scott Morrison government, labelling Malcolm Turnbull’s intervention promoting so-called “teal” independents as “unhelpful”.

Mr Kean has agreed to a request from the Liberal campaign team to write directly to voters flirting with Climate 200-backed candidates in a bid to save a raft of blue-blood seats that are now at risk.

In a targeted pitch to inner city voters, Mr Kean said the only way to secure “genuine” and “responsible” action on climate change “is by having people like Dave Sharma and Trent Zimmerman in a coalition government in Canberra working with us here in NSW”.

“That’s why I am determined to help them and the federal government stay in Canberra. I entirely disagree with Malcolm,” he said.

Senior Liberals believe the party is at risk of losing North Sydney, Mackellar and Wentworth to candidates backed by the Climate 200 group.

NSW Treasurer and Energy Minister Matt Kean will make a pitch to progressive Liberals to stick with the Coalition federally. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull’s comments about teal independents have been branded ‘unhelpful’.

Liberals have cited internal polling to argue Mackellar could come down to just 500 votes, eroding the current margin of 13.2 per cent.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been absent from inner city electorates where moderate MPs are under threat. He has declined to say whether he will campaign in those seats.

Tasking Mr Kean with imploring voters to stick with Liberal MPs was seen as a way for the Liberal Party to sway socially progressive Liberals who may be considering voting out the government.

“Independent candidates can talk a good game, but they do not have the means to deliver genuine and meaningful change,” Mr Kean will write to voters in North Sydney, Wentworth, and Mackellar, according to a draft copy of the letter seen by The Daily Telegraph.

NSW Liberals are privately seething at Mr Turnbull’s ­intervention from Washington promoting what he called the “‘teal’ independents”.

But despite previous attempts from conservative branches to boot Mr Turnbull out of the party, multiple Liberals told The Daily Telegraph that he should not be suspended, because that would only make him a “martyr”.

Liberal sources are frustrated the party has had to devote resources to defend previously safe seats from progressive independents, believing it further weakens the Morrison government’s chances of re-election.

Wentworth candidate Allegra Spender yesterday refused to say which party she would support to form government, telling the ABC she would “negotiate with either side”.