Liberal party candidates lining up for vital North Shore by-election following the retirement of Jillian Skinner

TWO front runners have emerged to take on a Liberal party preselection battle for the state seat of North Shore following the retirement of veteran MP Jillian Skinner.

Outgoing North Shore MP Jillian Skinner.

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AN INTERNAL Liberal Party battle is brewing over the candidate to contest the state seat of North Shore.

NSW Health Minister Jillian Skinner announced her retirement last week sparking a by-election in the blue ribbon electorate.

Within hours of her announcement there were two front runners to become the new face of the Liberals in the lower north shore: Tim James and Felicity Wilson.

Tim James in is the former head of Medicines Australia.

Both are understood to be keen to run for preselection.

But there is tension among local Liberals that there could be a re-run of the controversial preselection process that saw Trent Zimmerman win the nomination for North Sydney’s federal seat.

Sources are concerned that a locally preferred candidate may be snubbed in favour of a selection by party headquarters.

“We hope the normal manner of preselection is conducted,” a party source said.

“If there’s a head office fix, no doubt we will end up with more of a head office candidate. You don’t get your genuine local candidate.”

The source hoped that there would be a contest between a number of candidates for preselection.

“You really think it would be a Melbourne Cup field,” the source added.

Felicity Wilson has returned to Sydney after studying for an MBA in the US. Picture: Twitter

Mr James, from Mosman, is the former head of Medicines Australia. Ms Wilson recently returned to life in Neutral Bay after studying for an MBA in the US.

Several high profile independents are also expected to put their names in the ring. The north shore electorate is Liberal heartland but it has chosen independents in the past in Ted Mack and Robyn Read.

The contentious local issues of Military Rd traffic and council amalgamations are expected to be key features of election campaigns.

Pressure is coming from councils on newly-appointed Premier Gladys Berejiklian to scrap the mergers.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian.

“Gladys must now reconsider her position on amalgamation or have the long-held blue ribbon seat of North Shore under serious threat,” said North Sydney Mayor Jilly Gibson.

Meanwhile, Skinner’s retirement didn’t come without controversy. It is understood that she indicated she was only willing to stay if she kept her portfolio.

“She made it clear she would retire if it wasn’t to be so,” a high placed source said.

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“It is a bit disappointing that she wasn’t prepared to finish the rest of her term ... quite clearly she was going to retire at the next election anyway.”

No date has yet been set for the by-election but it is expected to be held in late March or early April.