Liberal powerbrokers will drop ‘massive damage’ on Tony Abbott’s electoral reforms

FACTIONAL chiefs have vowed to water down — or block entirely — Tony Abbott’s historic move to give Liberal Party members a say in electing their local candidates.

Tony Abbott.

• Liberal Party members support Abbott’s ‘Warringah motion’
• MIRANDA DEVINE: Liberal convention brought developments

FACTIONAL chiefs have vowed to water down — or block entirely — Tony Abbott’s historic move to give Liberal Party members a say in electing their local candidates.

Leaders of the Liberal Moderate faction told The Daily Telegraph they will never agree to one of Abbott’s major reforms — to give party members a vote in Senate positions, claiming it disenfranchises country members.

Mr Abbott has been passionate about the reform since his friend, retired Major General Jim Molan, was third on the Senate ticket behind candidates the former PM described as “factional hacks”.

Former PM Tony Abbott faces a fight back from the moderates. Picture: Hollie Adams / The Australian

Yet another bitter internal war has broken out in the wake of Mr Abbott’s weekend win, when his Warringah Motion won the support of 750 party members, while only 450 voted against it.

The conservative faction has accused Liberal powerbroker and lobbyist Michael Photios of being behind the push to block plebiscites, in order to maintain his control over the Liberal Party.

Mr Abbott’s two motions passed overwhelmingly on the weekend at a Party Futures convention, but still must survive the party’s Constitutional Standing Committee and then the State Council — a meeting of 600 Liberals that is controlled by the moderate and centre-right factional bosses.

A senior faction leader told The Daily Telegraph the Warringah resolution will be wiped when it goes to NSW Liberal State Council in the next four months, which will redebate the plebiscite reforms from scratch.

The source described the Warringah conference as displaying “arrogance”.

Liberal powerbroker Michael Photios. Picture: Kym Smith

“If the right are claiming a victory on their vote today, the outcome of this process will end in a compromise or hybrid model,” he said. “The only conclusion you can draw is they’ve had something of a Pyrrhic victory. If they’re out celebrating, it is premature.”

Mr Abbott’s first motion to give members a say in their local candidate would only survive for lower house MPs in state and federal parliament, and will not go through for the Senate. His second motion to give members a vote in electing all party positions, including State Council, Young Liberals and Women’s Council, will be opposed entirely.

Mr Abbott warned faction leaders risk causing “massive damage”. Picture: Hollie Adams / The Australian

Moderate sources said this would be unworkable.

Instead, State Council will incorporate the proposal for reform put forward by centre-right faction leader Alex Hawke — even though it was voted down at the weekend party convention. It will also include aspects of federal MP Julian Leeser’s proposal, which was not debated.

Mr Abbott warned if faction leaders “play silly buggers” and “sabotage” the reforms, they would cause “massive damage”.

Member for Mitchell Alex Hawke. Picture: AAP

“This is really a test for the factionalists. In the end, are they decent people who put the Liberal Party first, or is it all about trying to hold onto the spoils of office? Is it all about trying to make money out of their political contacts? I like to think that in the end the better angels of people’s natures will prevail,” he said on 2GB.

President of Mr Abbott’s Warringah federal electorate conference Walter Villatora said it would be “unconscionable” if their reforms weren’t passed.

“It has the moral authority and the clear mandate of the vast majority of the membership of the Liberal Party,” Mr Villatora said.