Tony Abbott’s Warringah Liberals lead statewide push to have preselection plebiscite

FORMER   prime minister Tony Abbott’s electorate is leading the charge to give each member of the Liberal Party a say on who their local candidate should be.

Former prime minister Tony Abbott leaves after Question Time yesterday. Picture: AAP.

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FORMER   prime minister Tony Abbott’s electorate is leading the charge to give each member of the Liberal Party a say on who their local candidate should be.

The move, labelled “democratisation” of the Liberal Party, would mean every party member voted on the preselection.

A small minority of members select the Liberal candidate who will stand in seats at local, state and federal levels.

The Warringah Federal Electorate Conference will vote on a motion to “call upon the State Council” to allow plebiscites giving “each financial member of the party” their say.

The motion, to be debated on Tuesday, called for the State Council to introduce the system at all levels of government.

NSW Premier Mike Baird is supportive of plebiscites. Picture: Dave Swift.

Premier Mike Baird has previously indicated he will hold a plebiscite in his own seat next election. He said he was “very supportive” of the move”. “I strongly believe in giving members more power,” he said.

The motion is expected to pass on Tuesday. A senior Liberal Party member said it had been pushed through by Warringah because “if you pass a constitutional motion it forces the party to vote on it at State Council”.

The Liberal Party’s State Council Annual General Meeting is on October 22.

It will likely be voted on by more than 1000 delegates.

Mr Abbott was on a flight to Prague as part of a European speaking tour and was unavailable for comment.

Walter Villatora has led the charge on plebiscites. Picture: Troy Snook.

But it follows his July 2 election victory, in which he highlighted a campaign spearheaded by Walter Villatora who “led the fight for democracy”.

On that night Mr Abbott said: “If Mike Baird wants it, if Malcolm Turnbull wants it, if John Howard wants it ... and Tony Abbott wants it, surely it’s good enough for the factional warlords.”

Mr Villatora is the president of Mr Abbott’s electorate conference, and is leading the renewed charge. He was contacted, but declined to comment.