Premier’s departure lures would-be pollies into fight for Mike Baird’s vacated Manly seat
THE campaigning started almost immediately after NSW Premier Mike Baird’s resignation. And one Liberal hopeful contacted the Manly Daily less than two hours after the premier’s announcement.
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WOULD-be politicians far and wide have already begun scrambling to replace Mike Baird as the Manly MP.
And the campaigning started immediately with one Liberal hopeful contacting the Manly Daily less than two hours after the premier’s resignation.
Among the early candidates believed to be vying for Liberal preselection are James Griffin, Ron Delezio and Natalie Ward.
The shock exit of the premier has turned 2017 into the year of unexpected elections, with some to face two in the next nine months.
Local Government amalgamations pushed the elections back by a year, and Mr Baird’s resignation means a by-election will occur.
And the Liberals are expecting a who’s-who of the party to turn out for their former leader’s seat.
Party sources indicated charity founder Ron Delezio is considering a bid for preselection.
Mr Delezio set up his charity, The Day of Difference Foundation, with his wife Carolyn, after their daughter Sophie was critically injured when an out-of-control car crashed into her childcare centre in 2003.
Mr Griffin is believed to be the frontrunner for preselection. The director of advisory risk consulting practice at KPMG is also believed to have the backing of Mr Baird.
However, a mixed bag of candidates has emerged.
Mr Griffin is not fractionally aligned in the Liberal Party but both moderate and conservative branches are expected to field candidates.
Among them are Tony Abbott’s campaign manager and head of the party’s democratic reform movement, Walter Villatora.
Mr Villatora, would likely be the conservative right faction’s main choice. He is a Manly based business consultant.
Natalie Ward appears to have the support of the moderate, or left leaning Liberal members. She is a lawyer and member of the Liberal Party State Executive.
Former Wallaby and businessman Bill Calcraft and president of the NSW Young Liberals Alex Dore have also put their hands up.
Nick McGowan who has ran for Liberal preselection in Berowra and was the party’s candidate for the seat of Jagajaga in Victoria in 2013 has also put his hand up.
Mr McGowan worked for the UN on policy and public affairs in the early 2000s and as an adviser to Jeff Kennett.
Liberal members were contacted, but declined to comment for fear of expulsion from the party.
It also remains unclear whether the selection of a candidate will be via plebiscite, as Mr Baird promised to do before 2019, or if it will be the usual system.
The status quo involves 40 people, whereas a plebiscite would count votes of all 400 Liberal members in Manly.
There are provisions for a trial plebiscite to take place in the party’s constitution.
“The State Executive of the NSW Liberal Party will consider all matters relating to the selection process in due course,” a party spokesman said.
Former Warringah mayor Michael Regan has not ruled out throwing his hat in the ring, but said he was more focused on the Northern Beaches Council elections.
Meanwhile, Manly Greens spokeswoman Cathy Griffin, the mother of Liberal hopeful James, said they will be running a candidate.
And despite preselections not yet being undertaken, former Warringah candidate Clara Williams Roland said she hoped to contest. She took the second highest votes after Tony Abbott at last June’s Federal Election.
“People are looking for a party that isn’t entrenched in trying to block what the other party is doing,” she said. “The Greens have shown we have very nuanced policies and are willing to negotiate and get a result.
“They want to see things done, not the same fighting between Liberal and Labor.”
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One Nation declined to comment because a by-election date had not been set.
NSW Labor, James Mathison and Warringah Nick Xenophon candidate Marie Rowland were contacted but did not return calls before the Daily published.
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