Liberal Party rejects nomination from outspoken ex-party staffer Chelsey Potter for Vickie Chapman’s seat
The Liberal Party has rejected a nomination from outspoken ex-party staffer Chelsey Potter to try to replace Vickie Chapman in the affluent seat of Bragg. Here’s why.
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The Liberal Party has rejected a nomination from former party staffer Chelsey Potter to seek to replace Vickie Chapman in her blue ribbon eastern suburbs electorate.
Miss Potter, 33, was among five aspiring candidates who had secured enough support to seek nomination for the seat of Bragg, which Ms Chapman is quitting.
But the party’s state executive rejected her bid on Thursday night because she worked against the Liberals in the federal seat of Grey, which incumbent Rowan Ramsey won.
She only just recently renewed her party membership but internal rules say candidates must be a financial member for at least three months before pre-selection,
But in what poses as a potential headache for the party Miss Potter, who had claimed a former Liberal Party staffer sexually assaulted her while working in Canberra, is now considering her options.
Party sources now expect her to seek the seat as a “teal” independent candidate.
“She will almost certainly run as an independent now with Greens and Labor preferences. Watch this space,” one senior source said.
The party’s other candidates who were approved to fight for preselection include former staffers Jack Batty and Sandy Biar, businesswoman Cara Miller as well as commercial lawyer Melissa Jones.
Party sources said Mr Batty, who worked for former federal Cabinet minister Christopher Pyne and the Australian High Commission in London – and whose mother-in-law is ex Channel 9 newsreader Georgina McGuinness – was an early favourite along with Ms Miller, a healthcare executive.
Ms Chapman had lent support to the five candidates to replace her.
The former Attorney-General will quit politics on May 31 despite winning her party’s only safe Adelaide electorate with a margin of 8.2 per cent at the recent state election.
Earlier, Ms Chapman, who has held the seat since 2002, gave her signature of support to the five potential candidates, who she declined to name or publicly endorse.
“There have been no pale, stale, males, so far,” she said.
Ms Chapman, the state’s first female deputy premier, said she would not “impose my personal view” on if a woman should replace her despite telling parliament more female MPs were needed.
“I look forward to having the preselection and our local people to have a stellar cast to choose from,” she said.
The party’s other candidates who were approved to fight for preselection include former staffers Jack Batty and Sandy Biar, businesswoman Cara Miller as well as commercial lawyer Melissa Jones.Party sources said Mr Batty, who worked for former federal Cabinet minister Christopher Pyne and the Australian High Commission in London – and whose mother-in-law is ex Channel 9 newsreader Georgina McGuinness – was an early favourite along with Ms Miller, a healthcare executive.
One senior Liberal said: “There’s a difference between spending the last three years as the chief adviser to the high commissioner to the Court of St James and spending the last five years in a compound in the Blue Mountains trying to tear down the monarchy.”
Former state MP for Elder Carolyn Power, who lost at the recent state election, and failed federal candidate for Boothby Rachel Swift did not nominate.
“As a woman I hope the person whoever it is wins on merit and not gender,” one party source said.
An internal factional brawl erupted after candidates had 48 hours to lodge a bid rather than a fortnight.
One source questioned a need for “unprecedented urgency” that was undemocratic.
“The left has consistently proven that they are all about centralised control and that they have no interest in the views of the rank and file membership,” the source said.
But another source suggested the tight time frame to lobby party members before the by-election meant the quick turnaround was necessary.
“Vickie did a ‘drop mic’ act it – so what were to do?,” they said.
Sources further suggested some MPs had lobbied to stop Ms Potter nominating but foreshadowed she would face a hurdle because she has not been a member for two years.
Ms Potter has been critical of the party’s issues with women after she alleged she was a victim of sexual assault from a senior Liberal staffer.
She also helped with the campaign of federal independent candidate for Grey Liz Habermann, nominating.
She said she was nominating to boost women in parliament.
Ms Jones said she was keen to be part of a “refreshed Liberal team”. Mr Biar has said inspire confidence in the state and put it on the map.
The other two candidates did not return calls.
All candidates needed at least four signatures from party members to secure their ballot by 5pm on Wednesday.
More than 400 Bragg party members will vote at a special June 5 meeting before facing a third election this year, likely in early July.
Lower House Speaker Dan Cregan will announce the date by the end of the month.
The Greens believe the party has a shot at winning the seat but Liberal observers pointed out that all Sturt booths in the federal electorate voted for Liberal incumbent James Stevens except Glenunga that was only just for Labor.
The Opposition was critical of Premier Peter Malinauskas on Wednesday calling an Ombudsman inquiry into Ms Chapman “extraordinary”.
Mr Malinauskas has asked the Department of Premier and Cabinet to review ministerial rules.
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Originally published as Liberal Party rejects nomination from outspoken ex-party staffer Chelsey Potter for Vickie Chapman’s seat
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