Tony Abbott calls Peta Credlin ideal candidate for Libs but not in Higgins

FORMER prime minister Tony Abbott has labelled former chief of staff Peta Credlin an “ideal candidate” for the Liberal Party – but not for Financial Services Minister Kelly O’Dwyer’s seat.

Peta Credlin has been endorsed as a Liberal candidate by former boss Tony Abbott.

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FORMER prime minister Tony Abbott has labelled his former chief of staff, Peta Credlin, an “absolutely outstanding individual” and an “ideal candidate” for the Liberal Party – just not for Financial Services Minister Kelly O’Dwyer’s seat.

Ms O’Dwyer is being targeted in the Melbourne seat of Higgins by millionaire constituents angry about the government’s changes to superannuation.

Mr Abbott, speaking on 2GB, said sitting members should not have to face a preselection challenge “unless they have done something terrible, and there is nothing Kelly O’Dwyer has done that would qualify as that”.

Kelly O'Dwyer is the first MP to give birth as a member of federal cabinet. Picture : Nicki Connolly

News Corp revealed on Friday that a group opposing Ms O’Dwyer had approached Ms Credlin, a Saturday Telegraph columnist, to contest Higgins.

Ms O’Dwyer is on maternity leave.

“The thought of going back into politics at the moment is about as appealing as chewing glass,” Ms Credlin later said.

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But Mr Abbott said it he “can certainly understand why a lot of Liberals say she would make an ideal candidate, just not in Higgins”.

“This is an outstanding individual, absolutely outstanding individual,” he said.

Tony Abbott said Ms O’Dwyer had done nothing “terrible”.

Kelly O'Dwyer is on maternity leave.

A leaflet advertises Peta Credlin’s speaking engagement in Kelly O'Dwyer's electorate.

“Now I don’t know whether she wants to get into the parliament, I suspect probably she doesn’t.

“I suspect she is probably enjoying herself too much where she is, where she’s got a very distinctive and strong voice.”

Earlier in the day, Special Minister of State Scott Ryan denied allegations he had leaked to the media the possible challenge to Ms O’Dwyer’s seat.

“Kelly is one of my closest friends; we went to uni together. What happened to her is appalling,” Senator Ryan said.

“I’m not going to engage in crazed conspiracy theories.

“She was responsible, along with the whole government, for a very difficult set of policies that brought equity back to superannuation and that ensured we can bring our budget back into balance.

“We should measure people how they take difficult decisions, and I think that policy is right, and the way Kelly handled it was exceptional.”

Originally published as Tony Abbott calls Peta Credlin ideal candidate for Libs but not in Higgins