Liberal versus Zali in Warringah: Gladys is out as new female frontrunner emerges in election race

With Gladys Berejiklian out of the running for the Liberals in Warringah, another woman is firming as favourite to take on Zali Steggall.

A young Manly lawyer is firming as the favourite to win Liberal preselection to take on Zali Steggall in Warringah after Gladys Berejiklian officially dropped out of the race on Friday.

Senior Liberal sources say that Jane Buncle, a high-flying junior barrister who believes in climate change, was forming as favourite to represent the Liberals at the federal election next year.

While she officially still has to convince close to 800 Liberal preselectors in Warringah of her ability to beat Ms Steggall, an influential local senior Liberal told the Manly Daily that Ms Buncle “would make a fantastic MP for Warringah”.

Barrister Jane Buncle who is considering running for Liberal preselection in the Federal seat of Warringah. Picture: Tenth Floor Chambers

The rush of support for Ms Buncle comes after Ms Berejiklian confirmed she was turning her back on public life and would definitely not be putting herself forward to tackle Ms Steggall.

The former NSW Premier had been courted by Prime Minister Scott Morrison to run as a high-profile Liberal candidate in an effort to oust the popular independent.

But Ms Berejiklian told Ben Fordham on Friday morning that she thought about running for federal politics for a “very short period of time” but wanted to go in a different direction.

She said she was “grateful” for Mr Morrison‘s offer of a federal seat but only ever entertained the idea “out of respect” for her federal Liberal colleagues.

Former NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian outside her electoral office last month. She has confirmed she is turning her back on public life and any political office. Picture: NCA Newswire / Gaye Gerard

“I‘m really grateful to the PM and so many other colleagues who really asked me to consider … I gave it some thought but decided against it, it’s not something that I want to do,” she said.

Ms Berejiklian was expected to resign as the MP for Willoughby within days.

“I‘m really looking forward to the next chapter. It won’t be in public life. It’ll be in the private sector and I’m really looking forward to what that brings,” she said.

A senior Liberal source in Warringah said the Liberal Party was “always going to throw up fantastic candidates in Warringah whether it’s Gladys Berejiklian or someone else”.

“Jane Buncle would make a fantastic MP for Warringah.”

Ms Buncle is creating a public profile and has been described in legal circles as a rising star of the Australian Bar and one of the “go to juniors (barristers)” in Sydney.

The independent MP for Warringah, Zali Steggall, will not be taking on Gladys Berejiklian at the next election. Picture: John Appleyard

In the Legal 500 Rankings she was described as “an outstanding advocate with a superior ability to grasp complex issues, and her forensic and legal analysis is invaluable”.

She has acted as junior counsel in commercial matters in the NSW Supreme and Federal courts, as well as Royal Commissions and international commercial arbitrations. Ms Buncle has also taken on criminal work.

Ms Buncle is also a Director of the Burdekin Association (youth homelessness not for profit on the northern beaches). She volunteers as a lifeguard at Manly Life Saving Club, and as a volunteer barrister at the Refugee Caseworker Service, the Environmental Defenders Office and the Duty Barrister Scheme.

But in October the Manly Daily reported that there still some among local Liberal Party members who were not confident Ms Buncle could win the seat back from Ms Steggall, because she was too similar — a woman and a barrister.

Alex Dore, a State Liberal executive and former President of the NSW Young Liberals, is still considering a Warringah preselection bid. Picture: John Feder/The Australian.

“The line that is being used is, ‘Why would the Liberal party preselect a Zali Steggall without the medal’?” said one Liberal from the Warringah Electoral Conference referencing Ms Steggall’s Winter Olympics medal.

“We don’t need a homebrand Zali or a Zali-lite, that is not the path to victory.”

State Liberal executive Alex Dore is still considering running for Warringah pre-selection.

Liberal nominatons for Warringah pre-selection close on January 14.

“Our candidate will be chosen very quickly thereafter,” a senior Liberal source said.