Dominic Perrottet, Josh Frydenberg admit NSW Liberal preselection saga ‘less than ideal’

The NSW Premier has broken his silence on the saga that tore the state Liberal Party open and derailed the Prime Minister’s road to re-election.

Dominic Perrottet has blasted the NSW Liberal preselection saga that has derailed Scott Morrison’s election campaign plans, calling it an “absolute debacle” and an “abject failing”.

The NSW Premier and federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg both conceded the issue had been “less than ideal”.

Mr Morrison and his close factional ally Alex Hawke alongside Mr Perrottet won a NSW Court of Appeal case brought forward by Liberal state executive Matthew Camenzuli on Tuesday.

The outcome has allowed the Prime Minister’s “captain’s pick” candidates in 13 NSW seats to remain.

Cabinet ministers Mr Hawke and Sussan Ley were saved from preselection ballots along with North Sydney MP Trent Zimmerman.

With the case settled, Mr Morrison is expected to call a May election within days.

Mr Perrottet said he had “no idea” how it had gotten so far.

“It’s an abject failure of the division to not be in a position whereby there are candidates that the members of the public here in NSW can vote for if they want to support a Liberal candidate at the next election,” Mr Perrottet told ABC Radio.

“The feedback that I’ve received from people in the division is that the time it took to get candidates in place was less than ideal and they should have moved on this a lot faster.

“It’s not just less than ideal, the whole thing has been a bit of a debacle.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says he selected his own candidates because he was standing up for women. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nikki Short

Mr Morrison told ABC’s 7.30 on Tuesday that it was a win for women of the state Liberal branch, including Ms Ley, because the environment minister was “under threat from factions”.

“I’m asked all the time why won’t the Prime Minister do more about getting good women in parliament and stand up for (them). I stood up for them,” Mr Morrison said.

Mr Frydenberg, who is the deputy Liberal leader but hails from Victoria, said the ongoing saga posed some problems.

“It has been less than ideal,” Mr Frydenberg told ABC News on Wednesday.

“I’m glad that it’s heading to its conclusion and that we’ve secured candidates for these seats … to contest the election.

“These are seats that not only do we need to hold, but seats that we can actually win off the Labor Party.”

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg says the preselection process has been ‘less than ideal’. Picture: Adam Taylor /PMO

Mr Frydenberg asserted Mr Morrison had done the right thing by protecting Ms Ley and Liberal women.

“She’s an outstanding member of our team doing a great job, and of the new people that have been chosen for the various seats half are women,” he said.

“That’s a welcome development.”

Mr Morrison’s treatment of women, and his role in the state Liberal Party has come under fire after outgoing NSW state MP Catherine Cusack and conservative senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells slammed the Prime Minister for denying grassroots members a say and branded him a bully.

“What is the precedent that is being set when a ‘captain’s pick’ can be foisted on our division by the federal executive?” Senator Fierravanti-Wells said.

Ms Cusack said Mr Morrison had “trashed” the party’s values over 20 years – first as state director, “then as a scheming MP and now as Prime Minister finding loopholes in our constitutions to delay preselections in order to get his way”.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet hopes the party can get on with the election. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

Mr Perrottet said he hoped the party could now get on with the election.

“We are on the eve of the election, we obviously need candidates to be putting their hands up and being preselected so the public are able to – if they want – vote for their local Liberal candidate,” Mr Perrottet told ABC News.

“I would agree with Josh. It’s hardly been ideal, but it’s good to see there are now candidates in place and we can get on and have the election.”

Mr Perrottet said the party would learn its lessons from the ordeal.

“When it comes to the next election, I certainly wouldn’t want to be in a position where I don’t have people representing the Liberal Party in seats,” he told ABC Radio.

“Clearly, there’s something to be learned here.”