Furious Liberals reject US-style primaries amid ongoing fight over party’s preselections

Party members hit out at the ongoing wars within the Liberals over a perceived lack of women and new pushes to change preselection processes.

Liberals have hit back at proposals to revamp the party’s preselections by introducing US-style primaries, saying it would be “hypocritical” if MPs who have previously been spared preselection challenges backed new models.

Party members hit out at the ongoing wars within the party over a perceived lack of women and new pushes by party members to change preselection processes.

This included introducing a primaries system which would allow local voters to be given a say in selecting Liberal candidates, even if they are not paid up Liberal Party members.

The proposal, championed by Liberal frontbencher Julian Leeser, has been criticised by some Liberals, who are sceptical of pushes to rejig preselection processes.

One Liberal MP questioned the push for revamped preselections, highlighting that Liberal frontbenchers – including Opposition leader Sussan Ley – have previously had preselection challengers banned from running against them.

Other figures who have been saved before preselection battles include Lindsay MP Melissa McIntosh, who last week proposed gender-balanced candidate pools as opposed to quotas.

Opposition leader Sussan Ley, pictured visiting the East Melbourne Synagogue, supports getting more women MPs in the Liberal Party. Picture: NewsWire/ David Crosling

“The hypocrisy of the people who subverted the preselection process … now wanting to redesign the process – is shocking,” the Liberal MP said.

“The factional protection rackets in the NSW Liberal Party are hurting us.

“It feels like the leadership is blaming the members for the last election result when our own leader refused to front her own members at a preselection challenge.”

Ms Ley has previously said she is a “complete zealot” for getting more women MPs in the Liberal Party, saying last month she was open to hearing a variety of proposals from party MPs.

“I just wanted to mention that my colleague Julian Leeser, has proposed a primary model. The Tories in the UK have a list model. There are a lot of different ideas. And as I said, I’m agnostic about how we get there, but I am a complete zealot that we do get there,” she told Nine’s Today last month.