Liberal member at centre of preselection court battle expelled from party

The High Court will consider whether to hear a last-minute appeal challenging NSW Liberal party candidates in key seats.

The High Court will consider whether to hear a last-minute appeal challenging NSW Liberal party candidates in key seats in what could be a make-or-break decision for when Prime Minister Scott Morrison calls the election.

It comes after the NSW Court of Appeal found that it could not make a ruling on internal party matters, after expelled Liberal member Matthew Camenzuli took Mr Morrison and others to court over the captain’s picks.

The High Court will hear the special leave application at 4pm on Friday.

Mr Camenzuli’s bid to be heard in the High Court is based on the argument that Courts of Appeal in two states — NSW and Victoria — have made competing rulings on whether courts could adjudicate on internal party disputes.

Matthew Camenzuli will seek leave to appeal a ruling from the NSW Court of Appeal.

While the NSW Court of Appeal found that it could not intervene in the Liberal party stoush, the Victorian Court of Appeal recently found the opposite in relation to a Labor party matter.

It is understood that the leave application is set down for Thursday afternoon.

If the High Court grants leave to appeal the case, it would mean further uncertainty about the Liberal party’s candidates in must-win NSW seats.

Mr Camenzuli is also set to appeal his expulsion from the party, which was done under wide-ranging campaign powers.

LIBERALS EXPEL MEMBER WHO TOOK PM TO COURT

The Liberal member who took the Prime Minister to court in a bid to block the endorsement of candidates in 12 seats has been expelled from the NSW Liberal party.

Matthew Camenzuli on Tuesday lost the case against Mr Morrison and other Liberal party members, after the NSW Court of Appeal ruled in Mr Morrison’s favour. Mr Camenzuli filed an appeal to the High Court on Wednesday.

Mr Camenzuli was a member of the Liberal party’s state executive, hailing from the hard right faction of the party.

The party expelled Mr Camenzuli using wide-ranging campaign powers that allow members to be expelled during an election campaign for hurting the party’s chances at winning government.

A Liberal party spokesman said he could not comment on internal party matters.

Mr Camenzuli declined to comment, but sources close to him said that the expulsion “cannot be allowed to stand” because it “cuts as the very heart to our democracy”.

It comes as Premier Dominic Perrottet sensationally declared the “abject failure” of the Liberal Party’s NSW division to preselect candidates sooner will make it “more difficult” to win or hold crucial seats.

It is not suggested that Mr Camenzuli is responsible for the preselection failure.

Mr Perrottet unloaded on his own party’s administrative wing for failing to preselect candidates in must-win federal seats, describing the factional impasse an “absolute debacle”.

“It’s an abject failure of the Division to not be in a position whereby there are candidates that the members of the public here in NSW can vote for if they want to support a Liberal candidate at the next election,” he told ABC radio.

The Premier did not blame Mr Morrison for the impasse which prevented candidates being selected.

Dire warning … Premier Dominic Perrottet.

However, multiple Liberal sources involved in selecting candidates have repeatedly blamed Mr Morrison’s right hand man for the delay.

They have previously accused Immigration Minister Alex Hawke, who represents the PM on the Liberal party’s state executive, of refusing to attend “Nomination Review Committee” meetings which are required to vet candidates ahead of selection.

Candidates in twelve NSW seats have finally been confirmed after Mr Morrison saw off a legal challenge to their validity.

Mr Perrottet said the delay could hurt the party’s election chances.

“It’s less than ideal to not give candidates an opportunity to be on the ground campaigning in local areas,” he told ABC Radio National.

“The election is going to get called any day now and we only finally have candidates in many states being endorsed. It’s not much of a lead up time,” he said.

Mr Perrottet also said the government would make affordable flood insurance a priority as it works to rebuild the devastated Lismore region.

“It’s been six weeks now, we’ve had a second flood event. There is a lot of pain on the ground but there is also a lot of progress. The clean up is well underway,” he said.

“The devastation is significant but the spirits are high and I think that’s because progress is being made.”

“In the long term, with the rebuild … (we need to make) sure our communities come back stronger than they were before. That’s going to be a challenge and it needs to be done in the right way.”

Mr Perrottet is in Lismore with former police commissioner Mick Fuller and Professor Mary O’Kane.

The pair are leading the government’s inquiry into flood management and prevention.

Mr Perrottet took a swipe at the Prime Minister Scott Morrison, saying he was not getting “the best advice” on flood management and funding after Mr Morrison said he would only provide funding for communities that have been impacted by a one in 500 year flood.

“I was out in a place called Cabbage Tree Island just yesterday … every single home but one has been destroyed. We have to work to get those communities back on their feet,” he said.

“The devastation here doesn’t discriminate based on your LGA. I’ll continue to work with the Commonwealth to get that additional funding in a way that makes sense.

“Sometimes it’s not what some public servant tells you in Canberra is the right thing to do, it’s what you learn on the ground.

“We are in regular contact and I do appreciate the financial support the Federal Government has provided … I know from my own perspective, I fight with the public service all the time.”