Nine candidates prepped to take it to Tony Abbott over the seat of Warringah

WARRINGAH   has become one of the most crowded electorates in Australia with nine candidates lining up to dethrone former prime minister Tony Abbott.

Tony Abbott is campaigning in the Liberal seat of Tangney, in Perth's south, at Brentwood shopping Centre with Liberal candidate Ben Morton. Picture: Colin Murty.

WARRINGAH   has become one of the most crowded electorates in Australia with nine candidates lining up to dethrone former prime minister Tony Abbott.

And in a dire warning, ABC election expert Antony Green told the Manly Daily Mr Abbott could take a hit on his primary vote on July 2.

“Mr Abbott’s primary vote will be down because there are more candidates and there will be a swing against him after preferences but it will be because of a swing against the government, more than just a swing against him,” Mr Green said.

“Many of the other candidates have no connection with the electorate and no one knows what they are trying to sell.”

Traditionally the flow of preferences has not been kind to Mr Abbott during his 22-year stint as Warringah MP.

ALP candidate for Warringah Andrew Woodward in Mosman. Photo: Adam Ward

James Mathison Former TV host pictured at Shelley Beach in Sydney before he runs as an independent in the next federal election.

In the 2013 election, Mr Abbott recorded almost 61 per cent of the primary vote but, after the distribution of preferences, he had risen just four percentage points on a two-party preferred basis.

Mr Abbott’s main opponent, Labor’s Andrew Woodward, said the large number of candidates was “absolutely” an attempt from multiple angles to unseat the incumbent.

“This highlights the level of community and antipathy towards Tony — he is a divisive character,” he said. “A lot of people don’t like him and want him gone.”

He said the number of candidates with an anti-Abbott agenda “is saying that Tony Abbott is totally out of touch and a relic of last century, he belongs in a museum and not Warringah”.

Independent candidate James Mathison has set up a crowd-funding page to help “topple Tony”, but said he didn’t believe it was all about wanting the former prime minister gone. “I think we are seeing it so bloated partly because people are unhappy with individual federal policies,” he said.

Greens candidate for Warringah Clara Williams Roldan.

He said a number of candidates were supporting single issues, but “without them it turns into a normal ballot”.

“I think if you look around the country, there is a lot of discontent with the current government,” he said.

“We have a lot of policies that different groups have been representing at this election and we are seeing this number of candidates as a result.”

Mr Woodward said his fellow candidates should join forces to take out Mr Abbott.

“It is nine against one, and I urge all candidates to keep their bows and arrows aimed at Tony and not cannibalise the anti-Abbott vote.

Mr Woodward said: “One thing I won’t do is attack other candidates who don’t attack Labor.

“You should be attacking Tony Abbott — you shouldn’t be attacking me or the Greens or the independents.”

However, Greens candidate Clara Williams Roldan said while some candidates may be in the race to get rid of Mr Abbott, she was “not 100 per cent sure” that was why most candidates were standing. “I’m standing because I believe in the Greens and the policies,” she said.

While she agreed most were standing with a primary reason to topple Mr Abbott, “you want to make sure whoever ends up representing Warringah also has a longer term vision than just getting rid of Tony Abbott,” she said.

Mr Abbott was contacted for comment.

Jessica Campbell, visiting from Cairns, takes a selfie with Tony Abbott, Member for Warringah and former Prime Minister, at Lisarow shopping centre, ahead of the upcoming federal election. Picture: Peter Clark.

WARRINGAH.

Those wooing voters in Warringah, in order of their position on the ballot paper, are Andrew Woodward (Labor), Marie Rowland (Nick Xenophon Team), June Scifo (Christian Democratic Party), Marc Giordano (Science Party), Tony Abbott (Liberal), Shea Caplice (The Arts Party), James Mathison (Independent), Clara Roldan Williams (The Greens), David Barrow

(Independent) and Tony Backhouse (Independent).

Where is it?

Warringah covers an area stretching from Neutral Bay, Mosman and Manly in the south to Curl Curl and Frenchs Forest (part) in the north. The main suburbs include Allambie Heights, Balgowlah, Brookvale, Cremorne Point, Curl Curl, Fairlight, Forestville (part), Frenchs Forest (part), Killarney Heights, Manly, Manly Vale, Mosman, Neutral Bay, Queenscliff and Seaforth.

MACKELLAR

Wooing Mackellar voters, in order of their position on the ballot paper, are Liam Gavin (Independent), Jim Ball (Independent), Mike Hall (The Greens), Annie Wright (Christian Democratic Party), Jason Falinski (Liberal), Rhonda Funnell, (Labor) and Julie Hegarty (Independent).

Where is it?

Mackellar covers an area from Palm Beach in the north, south to Dee Why and west to Duffys Forest. The main suburbs include Avalon, Bayview, Beacon Hill, Belrose, Bilgola Plateau, Church Point, Clareville, Collaroy, Cottage Point, Cromer, Davidson, Dee Why, Duffys Forest, Frenchs Forest (part), Forestville (part), Ingleside, Ku-ring-gai Chase, Mona Vale, Morning Bay, Narrabeen, Narraweena, Newport, Palm Beach, Scotland Island, Terrey Hills and Warriewood.