‘Serial candidate’ Colleen Harkin infuriates senior Victorian Liberals after emerging to derail state campaign

A “serial candidate” has resurfaced to derail the re-election bid of two senior Victorian Liberals after she failed in the federal election.

"Serial candidate" Colleen Harkin is attempting to derail the re-election bid of the Victorian Liberals’ most senior members. Picture: Nicole Cleary

A “serial candidate” is attempting to derail the re-election bid of two of the Victorian Liberals’ most senior members.

Senior Liberal sources have told the Herald Sun that Colleen Harkin, who failed to win the seat of Macnamara in the federal election, has nominated for a spot in the Victorian upper house.

Ms Harkin is seeking to run in the southern metropolitan region, which is currently occupied by shadow treasurer David Davis and opposition health spokeswoman Georgie Crozier.

The Herald Sun has been told that Ms Harkin put herself forward in all three spots of the southern metropolitan ticket.

Mr Davis and Ms Crozier, two of the opposition’s most integral members of the shadow cabinet, have also both nominated themselves in the first two spots.

Ms Harkin’s decision has enraged senior Liberals, who described her as a “serial candidate”.

Ms Harkin has unsuccessfully challenged Brighton MP James Newbury for preselection last year, and was the Liberal Party’s last minute candidate in the federal seat of Macnamara, which was eventually held by Josh Burns.

One senior Liberal, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said Ms Harkin’s intention to run in all three spots of the Southern Metropolitan region was going to be a disruption to the party, which needed to focus on landing a blow against the Andrews government.

Colleen Harkin has infuriated her party by seeking to run in the southern metropolitan region.

“The economy and health are our two biggest issues in our fight against Daniel Andrews,” the Liberal said.

“No real Liberal who wants to get rid of Labor would run up against our shadows in these portfolios.

“We are all just shaking our heads.”

Another party source, also speaking anonymously, said it would detract the party from their key messages.

“The beneficiary to this will be Daniel Andrews,” they said.

Opposition leader Matthew Guy said the Liberal party is a democracy and that he can’t be disappointed about preselection challenges.

“Let me go on the record, I’m very, very supportive of David and Georgie being re-endorsed for their positions,” Mr Guy said on Tuesday morning.

“I provided a reference for both of them for a reason … (They are) the shadow treasurer and the shadow health minister, (and) at this point in time, we are out fighting an election and a campaign that is beginning around the finances of this state, which are broken, and the healthcare system of the state, which is broken.

“Our two shadow ministers, who have been leading that charge, need the certainty of their positions, but I’ll leave that up to the party.”

Mr Guy added: “I can’t be disappointed about preselection challenges when we open the process. The process is there for a reason, you don’t open it to rort it, you open it because it’s legitimate.

“The Liberal party is not the Labor Party, we have legitimate processes.”

The Herald Sun has sought comment from Ms Harkin on numerous occasions.