Calls for Matt Kean to be censured over preselection tactics

Pittwater Liberals are calling for NSW Treasurer Matt Kean to be censured amid a revolt over the left-faction leader’s comments on local preselections.

Treasurer Matt Kean has been slammed by party rank and file in Pittwater, with Liberal branch members calling on the left-faction leader to be “censured” over comments he made about local preselections.

The rebuke from the Pittwater branch comes amid a belief among Liberals that Mr Kean wants to parachute a woman to contest the seat.

Liberal sources told The Daily Telegraph Mr Kean wants to parachute a star female candidate into the Northern Beaches electorate.

The sources believed no suitable contender has yet been identified. Mr Kean denied this.

Mr Kean last week declared the party’s branches were “not reflecting the community” by refusing to preselect female candidates in a number of winnable seats.

Treasurer and Member for Hornsby Matt Kean is facing a censure threat. Picture: Gaye Gerard

He called for the nomination process in Pittwater to be reopened to allow 28-year-old EY consultant Claire Longley to run for preselection.

In extraordinary comments criticising his own party, Mr Kean last week said that rank and file members were not doing enough to support diversity.

“It’s clear that the branch membership is not reflecting the community. The community sent a very strong message not only to the Liberal Party but to all political parties that they want to see more diversity,” he said.

Pittwater Liberals on Monday night passed motions calling on the Liberal party’s State Council to “censure” Mr Kean for his comments “asserting rank and file branch members are out of touch with their communities and cannot be trusted to selected candidates in a democratic process”.

A motion was also passed calling on Northern Beaches candidate Rory Amon to be endorsed as the party’s candidate in Pittwater, although sources said this motion had less support than the move condemning Mr Kean’s actions.

Tensions are at boiling point among Pittwater Liberals, with locals believing Mr Kean is trying to stall Mr Amon’s endorsement so the party can parachute in a female “captain’s pick” candidate to contest the election.

Pittwater Liberals have endorsed Rory Amon as preselection candidate. Picture: Adam Yip

That would be akin to the disastrous preselection process ahead of May’s federal poll, where endorsements were delayed for so long that hand-picked candidates were forced on voters at late notice.

“There appears to be a real risk that the behaviour of the Federal Parliamentary Liberal Party during May’s election will be repeated at the state level and that the Party leadership will attempt to force a “Captain’s Pick” upon us,” Pittwater State electoral Conference President Stu Cameron told Liberal members in an email on Tuesday morning.

Ms Longley – daughter of former Pittwater MP Jim Longley – was deemed ineligible to run for preselection in the seat because of an issue with her party membership.

She made multiple attempts to appeal the finding, but was unsuccessful.

Mr Kean and Premier Dominic Perrottet want Ms Longley to contest the vote.

Both Mr Kean and Premier Dominic Perrottet had been pushing hard inside the party in an attempt to allow Ms Longley to contest the vote.

“I’m happy to take fire advocating for better representation for women in the government and in the Liberal Party,” Mr Kean said.

“Better representation can only be good for the party and the state.”