Influential northern beaches’ Libs push for Lincoln Parker to run against Zali Steggall

Prominent Libs in Warringah are pushing for Lincoln Parker to be the candidate to win the formerly blue ribbon seat back from Zali Steggall.

Prominent Liberal Party officials on the northern beaches are pushing for Queenscliff resident Lincoln Parker to be picked as the candidate to run against Zali Steggall in Warringah at the upcoming federal election.

The push comes after the Liberal’s NSW Executive proposed installing an “outsider”, David Brady, from the Lower North Shore, as its candidate to take on Ms Steggall.

Members of the Warringah Federal Electorate Conference Committee, made up of conference office holders and a number of local Liberal branch presidents, met to discuss the preselection at a meeting late on Sunday afternoon.

Lincoln Parker, a preselection candidate for the Liberal Party in the federal seat of Warringah, with his sons Henry (right) and Jackson. Picture: Supplied

It was revealed last week that Mr Brady, who is president of the party’s Waverton-Wollstonecraft Branch, could be picked to run in Warringah without a vote by local party members. It sparked a furious response from the Liberal party’s local office holders and members.

And Mr Parker, who is the only official candidate in the Warringah preselection, told supporters that he was prepared to run as an independent against Ms Steggall if the party’s NSW head office “parachuted” Mr Brady in.

David Brady is being considered as a possible Liberal Party candidate, chosen by the party’s NSW Executive, for the electorate of Warringah at the 2022 federal election. Picture; Supplied

The local preselection row is part of a wider internal party conflict about the right of the NSW head office to endorse candidates rather that let local party members decide in a preselection vote.

On Friday the Liberal’s Federal Executive asked the NSW division to finalise candidates in Warringah and several other seats by March 25.

It also said the NSW division would be temporarily overseen by a committee, including Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Premier Dominic Perrottet, to help fix delayed candidate election process.

The NSW Executive listed Mr Brady as the candidate for Warringah.

But after Sunday’s northern beaches’ meeting, an influential local senior Liberal said, NSW head office will face more pressure to name Mr Parker as the candidate.

Jane Buncle, 33, of Manly, a barrister who dropped out of the Liberal preselection race earlier this year. Picture: Supplied

But another senior Liberal who was at Sunday’s meeting described it as an “informal get together”.

“It was a non-binding meeting to talk about the next step in the preselection process,” the senior Liberal said.

At 5pm on Thursday, control of the NSW Division reverts back to the state executive. It can then organise preselection votes, or endorse local candidates, such as Mr Parker, if they are the only person running for preselection.

A senior northern beaches’ Liberal insider, who was at Sunday’s meeting, said an official endorsement, by the NSW Executive, of Mr Parker could occur as early as Wednesday.

“(The local backing) of Mr Parker puts more pressure internally, politically and otherwise, on the state executive to do the right thing.

“A lot of people think he is our best chance to, if not win the seat, then improve our margin significantly.”

The insider said Mr Parker, who chairs the Liberal Party (NSW) Defence & National Security Policy Branch; has worked in defence research and technology development and; is a regular media commentator on national security issues, would be a “significant point of difference” for voters in Warringah.

Lincoln Parker, a preselection candidate for the Liberal Party in the federal seat of Warringah. Picture: Supplied

“He is not Tony Abbott 2.0.

“The Liberals want to put forward Mr Parker as a candidate who reflects the current thinking in Warringah, but is still a Liberal.

“All the people who voted Liberal all their lives, but went for Zali, now have a clear option to justify coming back to the way they’ve always voted because they have someone they can relate to and who has the Liberal sort of approach.”
The insider added that with growing concerns over the war in Ukraine and the rise of China, voters would be looking to someone locally who could keep them informed on “where the world is headed’.

“Even though Mr Parker is also passionate about eduction and children with special needs, having a strong local leader with his experience in national security, would be a strong differentiator, from Zali, for Warringah voters.”

EARLIER:

A staunch Liberal Party member is prepared to run as an independent against Zali Steggall if the party’s head office parachutes in an “outsider” before the upcoming federal election.

In another twist in the saga to chose a candidate to take on Ms Steggall, the Liberal’s NSW Executive has proposed installing David Brady, from the Lower North Shore, as its candidate in Warringah.

If that occurs, it is understood that Queenscliff resident Lincoln Parker, who is the only candidate on the Liberal’s Warringah preselection candidate list, would run as a “Liberal independent” at the election expected in May.

The local preselection row is part of a wider internal party conflict about the right of the NSW head office to endorse candidates in seats rather that let local party members decide in a preselection vote.

News that Mr Brady, who is president of the party’s Waverton-Wollstonecraft Branch, would be endorsed has sparked a furious response from the Liberal party’s rank and file on the northern beaches and Mosman.

The president of the conservative Condamine branch, the influential Walter Villatora, has already fired off an angry email to party officials, saying that if Mr Brady was imposed as the candidate, it would start a “civil war”.

The email states that while Mr Brady was “a nice person by all accounts” he was “unknown” in the area”.

“If this happens, the Warringah Liberal members will revolt and simply walk away,” Mr Villatora’s email states. “There will be no grassroots or donor support for an illegitimately appointed, unknown outsider.

“To beat (Ms Steggall) the party needs all the resources and support it can get.”

Mr Villatora wrote that Mr Parker, from the conservative side of the party, should be the candidate.

Influential Liberal party branch president on the northern beaches, Walter Villatora, said rank and file members are upset. Picture: Troy Snook

“To ignore a quality local candidate who has adhered to the party’s constitution, and is in fact, the only candidate who met the nomination deadline and passed the nomination review committee process … will trigger a civil war in the party that will go far beyond Warringah and could potentially derail the Morrison Government’s already fragile electoral prospects,” Mr Villatora’s email stated.

Mr Brady, who was born profoundly deaf and is now a disability campaigner and chair of the Deafness Forum of Australia, is considered a moderate.

On Friday AAP reported that the Liberal’s Federal Executive released a statement saying it had asked the NSW division to finalise candidates in Warringah and several other seats by March 25.

It also said the NSW division would be temporarily overseen by a committee, including Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Premier Dominic Perrottet, to help fix delayed candidate election process.

A northern beaches Liberal insider said that angry local party members would support Mr Parker running as an independent.

“If Mr Parker was elected, and the Liberal party returned to the democratic reforms it adopted in 2018 to stop this factional business, then he would be able to return to the Liberal Party.

“If the party picks someone who never nominated for Warringah and who is not from Warringah, then Mr Parker running as a independent is the outcome.”

Another senior local Liberal said the membership was “drawing a line in the sand”.

Mr Parker and Mr Brady cannot comment under party rules related to the preselection process.