Rajiv Chaudhri nominates for preselection in Castle Hill, weeks after David Elliott bows out

He was once engaged to world hurdles champion Jana Pittman, now Spicy Bean Cafe founder Rajiv Chaudhri is in his own race — to be the Liberal candidate for Castle Hill.

He was once engaged to two-time world 400m hurdles champion Jana Pittman and was part of a “breakfast club” with Premier Dominic Perrottet. Now Spicy Bean Cafe founder and domestic violence charity worker Rajiv Chaudhri is in his own race — to be the Liberal candidate for the seat of Castle Hill.

Chaudhri, an IT consultant, has put his hand up to end the “factional wars disturbing the ecosystem in the Hills”.

But he, too, has upset the apple cart, with some in the Right faction, of which he is a member, unhappy that he has nominated, given the conservatives had already put up a candidate in Noel McCoy.

McCoy has benefited from two hard-right branches being brought into the seat, a move that ultimately triggered the decision of centre-right minister David Elliott (who had wanted to nominate) to quit.

But while Chaudhri may not have the numbers, he is not quitting.

Rajiv Chaudhri has thrown his hat into the ring for Liberal preselection in Castle Hills. Picture: Britta Campion

While conservative, Chaudhri is understood to have more moderate views than pro-lifer McCoy.

On the issue of abortion, Chaudhri believes it is a decision mature parents should be able to make, given their individual circumstances – and one in which they should be respected.

Chaudhri was once also a manager at the five-star St James’ Court Hotel in London where, we are told, he hosted dignitaries from royal guests to sports celebrities and heads of state, and his supporters say he has more life experience than McCoy.

A small business specialist (he is responsible for the operations of Hitek Australia), Chaudhri was born in what he has described as the “backwaters of India” in Kerala.

He is also a single dad, whose daughter Kanika recently completed her MD in medicine from Notre Dame University and has landed a job at Royal North Shore Hospital.

As for his own dad, we hear he retired as a well-decorated Commodore in the Indian navy — a career that saw Chaudhri spending the early years of his life in naval bases around the world.

Chaudhri and Olympian Jana Pittman, who used to be engaged

Chaudhri is also the director of The Lisa Harnum Foundation, which works in the domestic violence space, including operating a shelter in The Hills.

Other nominees include solicitor Mark Hodges, who is the deputy mayor at The Hills Shire Council.

No date has yet been set for the showdown.

BUSH BATTLE

While the Liberals are still figuring out who their candidates should be, the Nationals already have theirs out in the field campaigning.

Candidates for each of the 12 seats the Nats hold have been chosen, with preselections still to be finalised in the seats of Murray and Port Macquarie.

The Nats are keen to reclaim Port Macquarie, which was in their stable until local member Leslie Williams defected to the Liberals.

Should the Nats proceed with running a candidate, it will be the first time a three-cornered contest has been held in NSW since then-Liberal MP Daryl Maguire took Wagga Wagga in 1999.

The Nats also have their eyes on Murray, but face a four-way contest against independent MP Helen Dalton, the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party, and Labor.

The Nats are also targeting Barwon, where the party has preselected former Country Women’s Association president Annette Turner.

With the drought having broken, the party is hoping this will favour them in the target seats.

BRAD LOVE

It is not often that a retiring state pollie receives praise from both sides of politics — even rarer for that praise to come from rival federal political leaders. But that has been the case for veteran Liberal MP Brad Hazzard, who announced his intention to retire at the March state election after more than three decades traipsing the corridors of Macquarie Street.

As word travelled down to Canberra, both Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton rose to pay tribute to the NSW Health Minister, who navigated the state through the biggest health challenge it had faced in recent memory.

Retiring Health Minister Brad Hazzard has been in parliament for more than 30 years. Picture: Justin Lloyd

“Brad Hazzard is someone who I regard as a friend and someone who made an enormous contribution, particularly as the Minister for Health during the global pandemic,” the PM told parliament.

Not to be left out, Dutton said: “During the course of Covid, like many of the health ministers around the country, he confronted a very stark set of circumstances and responded with leadership. He has led a distinguished career and he has contributed a lot to the state of NSW and to our country.”

Outside of parliament, former NSW premier Bob Carr also joined the lovefest. “Good luck to Brad Hazzard in retirement,” he tweeted, describing the veteran pollie as “brilliant”.

One of Carr’s successors, cricket tragic Morris Iemma, also paid tribute: “Played strong, done good. Great innings from one of the best. Absolute champion.”

As for Premier Dominic Perrottet — who was in Year 3 at junior school when Hazzard was moving in to Macquarie Street — he said NSW was “a better place” thanks to Brad, adding: “He delivered.”

SPINNING AROUND

When the latest media contact list for the Albanese ministry was released, The Sauce was taken aback to see no less than nine advisers in the PM’s office.

Had the media demands of Albo grown so exponentially as to require a more than doubling of staff, or was there some kind of Labor workplace edict in place banning overtime, thereby requiring extra bodies to cover shifts?

Media contact lists by the previous Morrison, Turnbull and Abbott governments list between four and five media advisers — mostly four.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s office lists nine media staffers. Picture: Arsineh Houspian

Upon making an inquiry, a less-than-amused adviser — “here we are, sending out our contacts” — told The Sauce that staff numbers were “no different” to previous PMs’ offices, only now media assistants and other media-related roles had been included on the list.

In addition to Albo’s Media Director and Principal Press Secretary Liz Fitch, the list includes Head of Press Office Brett Mason along with three media advisers — Alex Beech, Caitlin Goddard and Joshua Lloyd.

As for the other four names on the list, we are told they are “media assistants” whose roles include working with regional, digital and culturally and linguistically diverse media.

It was explained that other PMOs had similar staff numbers, but only their key Press Gallery contacts were ever put on the list.

Scrolling down the list, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong, Treasurer Jim Chalmers, Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen, Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney and Communications Minister Michelle Rowland each listed three advisers.

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