Health Minister and Wakehurst MP Brad Hazzard sends a warning to those looking to win his seat
THREE Liberal Party identities put their hand up to challenge Health Minister Brad Hazzard for his Wakehurst seat on the northern beaches — but two are believed to have already taken themselves out of the running.
Manly
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FORMER Warringah Chamber of Commerce president Wendy Finianos will challenge Wakehurst MP Brad Hazzard for Liberal Party preselection ahead of the next state election.
Three people originally put their hands up for preselection in addition to the incumbent member last week.
Wakehurst electoral conference president and Northern Beaches councillor David Walton nominated himself for the job but has since withdrawn his candidacy. David Lovell, a relative newcomer to the Liberals, also nominated for preselection. It is believed he is contemplating a withdrawal.
All three were contacted but are unable to comment on preselection, facing expulsion from the party.
Some of the candidates entered due to “misinformation about whether or not Brad was running”, one source said.
It is believed multiple calls and texts to Mr Hazzard were not returned before the cut-off date, leading to a frenzy of nominations.
Mr Hazzard, the NSW Health Minister said: “I can’t comment on Liberal Party preselection. But I can confirm that I am committed to work for our local community.”
One source with knowledge of the situation said Mr Hazzard had contacted all three challengers and urged them to step aside.
“He is a minister, you don’t really challenge a minister,” the source said.
Preselection is made up of about 56 votes from the Liberal Party’s head office and 84 from local branches.
“They won’t beat Brad,” another Liberal Party source said. “These two are both too new to the party. You can’t just turn up and get a seat.”
Mr Hazzard is not fractionally aligned, meaning he cannot necessarily count on support from either of the party’s left or right factions. And while it is unlikely Mr Hazzard would be unseated after 27 years, a source said it was not impossible.
Another source suggested there were factional rumblings along the peninsula, which had been exacerbated by a poor showing in the weekend’s federal by-elections.
Mr Hazzard claimed his seat in 1991 by rolling incumbent, moderate Liberal powerbroker John Booth in preselection.
Pittwater and Manly MPs Rob Stokes and James Griffin were expected to be selected as Liberal candidates unopposed. A preselection date is not yet known.