Dominic Perrottet hails his successor Monica Tudehope as a ‘probable premier’

Former premier Dominic Perrottet has described his successor, Monica Tudehope as a “probable premier” declaring his former staffer would bring intellectual firepower to the NSW Liberals.

Monica Tudehope has won Liberal preselection for former premier Dominic Perrottet’s seat in Epping.

Former premier Dominic Perrottet has described his successor, Monica Tudehope as a “probable premier” declaring his former staffer would bring intellectual firepower to the NSW Liberals.

In what is being viewed as a glimmer of hope in one the Liberal Party’s darkest weeks in its history, party preselectors overwhelmingly voted in support of Ms Tudehope to replace Mr Perrottet in the seat of Epping.

Ms Tudehope beat her nearest rival, Hornsby councillor Sreeni Pillamarri. Ms Tudehope gained 89 of the 115 votes.

Ms Tudehope said she was humbled by the opportunity continue Mr Perrottet’s hard work.

She said she would prioritise families struggling with the cost of living and housing affordability for young people in her campaign.

Monica Tudehope won the Liberal preselection winner for the seat of Epping.

“As a working mum of two, I know the price of milk, the price of insurance and the cost of keeping the lights on,” Ms Tudehope said.

Mr Perrottet, who resigned from parliament to take on a senior role as US head of corporate and external affairs with global mining giant BHP in the US, gave Ms Tudehope a glowing reference in the lead-up to the Saturday vote.

“The Liberals have just drafted a future treasurer, probable premier,” Mr Perrottet told The Sunday Telegraph.

“Moncia will bring a wealth of experience and intellect to the Liberal Party team.”

Ms Tudehope, who is the daughter of Liberal frontbencher Damien Tudehope, was Mr Perrottet’s deputy chief-of-staff when he was premier and his head of policy when he was treasurer, helping in the delivery of five state budgets.

Her preselection comes one of the darkest weeks for the party after 140 council candidates missed out on being nominated after party officials failed to lodge their forms in time.

The looming by-election the seat of Epping is set to be a tight race, with the Liberals bracing for a serious threat if Labor puts forward a candidate.

Labor’s most likely candidate would be journalist Alan Mascarenhas, who was recently snubbed from Labor’s council candidacy in Epping and previously ran for the seat in 2019.

Originally published as Dominic Perrottet hails his successor Monica Tudehope as a ‘probable premier’