‘Doesn’t have the character for it’: Retiring MP David Elliott fires at likely replacement

Retiring minister David Elliott has fired a shot at the “unashamedly pro-life”, hard-right Liberal candidate likely to replace him.

Outgoing transport Minister David Elliott has taken a shot at the man likely to replace him as MP in his western Sydney seat, saying he doesn’t think “he’s got the character for it” and urging his party to look at alternative options.

Mr Elliott’s comments come after he pulled out of running for Castle Hill in next year’s election, after it appeared he wouldn’t have enough support from the Liberal Party’s hard-right faction to be selected to run.

Hard-right candidate, former Young Liberal president Noel McCoy, is understood to be the front runner for the position.

Mr McCoy said he was “unashamedly pro-life” in media reports on Wednesday and said he would consider a second look at policies surrounding abortion if elected.

When asked if Mr McCoy’s views were “mainstream”, Mr Elliott said ‘no’.

2008: Then-President of the NSW Young Liberals Noel McCoy handing out flyers during Orientation Week at UNSW at Randwick, Sydney.

Mr Elliott also said the party should look at other candidates for the seat.

“I just don’t think that he’s got the character for it. I would prefer the party to look at a few other potential candidates,” he said, saying his party should consider “diversification” due to the electorate’s high population of working mothers and residents of Indian background.

Mr McCoy told The Telegraph that Mr Elliott “told 2GB he didn’t know me”.

“Today, he’s commenting on my character. He’s all over the shop which I gather is why he’s not particularly liked,” he said.

It comes after Mr Elliott this week accused Dominic Perrottet’s own brother of orchestrating a factional coup to kick him out of Castle Hill.

Mr Elliott lashed out at factional enemies just days after saying he “wouldn’t spit the dummy” over the internal party wheeling-and-dealing which led to him declaring over the weekend he wouldn’t contest the 2023 state election.

Charles Perrottet is a hard-right faction figure in the Liberal party. Picture: Supplied

He is a younger brother of Premier Dominic Perrottet. Picture: John Grainger

A self-described political “brawler”, Mr Elliott had announced he wouldn’t run citing the improbability that he would win a preselection battle after he nominated for Castle Hill.

Mr Elliott – a member of the Liberal Party’s centre-right faction – made the decision after doing the numbers and realising he was unlikely to win enough support among the hard-right faction members which dominate the Castle Hill Liberal branch.

The outgoing transport Minister on Tuesday took aim at hard-right faction figure Charles Perrottet, a younger brother of Premier Dominic, saying “we need to be transparent about what occurred here”.

“Anyone who thinks ‘Charlie’ Perrottet doesn’t manage factional matters for the hard right doesn’t know the Liberal Party,” Mr Elliott said.

“I’ve negotiated with him myself. I don’t begrudge him – he’s a good operator. But we need to be transparent about what occurred here.”

Transport Minister David Elliott is retiring at the next election. Picture: Richard Dobson

The Premier on Sunday denied his brother Charles – a key factional player in the area during the federal election – was involved in the right faction challenging Mr Elliott in Castle Hill.

The Telegraph understands that Charles Perrottet has moved interstate. While other factions believe he is still involved in factional negotiations, this is something he denied.

Catholic Schools NSW CEO Dallas McInerney runs the right faction in NSW.

Right faction sources insisted that Mr Elliott’s “branch infrastructure” has remained in Kellyville, blaming the debacle on Ray Williams.

The Right faction blames Mr Williams for starting the war in the Hills District when he challenged now-Premier Dominic Perrottet for Castle Hill in 2013.

Mr Williams will run in Kellyville, with Mr Elliott refusing to run there out of respect for his long-time friend.