Wentworth favourite Dave Sharma will move from Turramurra to the eastern suburbs if he wins preselection
THE favourite candidate to replace Malcolm Turnbull in his seat of Wentworth, Australia’s former Ambassador to Israel Dave Sharma, lives 24km away in the upper north shore suburb of Turramurra.
NSW
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THE favourite candidate to replace Malcolm Turnbull in his seat of Wentworth, Australia’s former Ambassador to Israel Dave Sharma, lives 24km away in the upper north shore suburb of Turramurra.
Mr Turnbull last night told local party members at the Wentworth Federal Electorate Conference that he would quit the eastern suburbs seat, on Friday. It means the earliest a by-election can be called is October 6.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison is hoping an October by-election in Wentworth will be the only one he has to face, with Reid MP Craig Laundy confirming to The Daily Telegraph he will not leave the government in the lurch before the next election.
NSW Liberals will open the preselections for Wentworth today, with marriage equality campaigner and former Liberal Party federal director Andrew Bragg expected to put his hat in the ring for the blue-ribbon seat along with Tony Abbott’s sister Christine Forster.
Former Australian Medical Association President and City of Sydney councillor Kerryn Phelps, is also considering running but has not revealed whether her candidacy would be for a major party or as an independent.
Mr Sharma is considered to be a favourite and is said to be backed by Mr Morrison — despite the fact that he does not live anywhere near the electorate.
Should he win preselection, it is understood Mr Sharma would move to Wentworth from Turramurra, where he has been living near his elderly father.
Meanwhile, the Liberal MP Mr Turnbull overthrew to seize the seat, Peter King, has revealed he is considering re-entering politics and standing for Wentworth again.
“But I’m not going to make a decision until I know if there’s a by-election afoot,” he said at the Wentworth Federal Electoral Conference.
Mr Turnbull told the same gathering at the Eastern Suburbs Rugby Club that he had written to voters in the electorate to tell them he was quitting.
“I won’t dwell on the events of last week,” he said. “They have been described — including by me — as a form of madness.”
Sydney MP Alex Greenwich has been considering his options but yesterday told The Daily Telegraph he was ruling himself out of the race.
“A number of supporters and constituents are encouraging me to consider running, however I’m focused on my job in NSW Parliament,” he said.
“It is a seat that values social justice, the humane treatment of refugees and asylum seekers and wants us to prepare for the economic and environmental challenges ahead.”
Labor’s Tim Murray was considered a long shot by his own party but his candidacy could be used to boost an independent, similar to the party’s strategy in the Mayo by-election in South Australia.