Federal election 2022: Dominic Perrottet backs Scott Morrison ... Deves ‘won’t be silenced’

The NSW Premier has sent a text message to the PM agreeing with his position on women in sport following the inflammatory intervention of his own Treasurer.

Warringah Liberal candidate Katherine Deves at her northern beaches home on Tuesday. Picture: Jane Dempster

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has backed Scott Morrison’s position on women competing against women in sport as the Prime Minister stood behind embattled Liberal candidate for Warringah Katherine Deves and resisted calls to disendorse her.

The support, in a private text message, puts Mr Perrottet at odds with his Treasurer, Matt Kean, who on Tuesday led calls from moderate NSW Liberals to disendorse Ms Deves.

Mr Perrottet texted the Prime Minister at the weekend assuring him he had his support over the substantive issue of women competing against women in sport. The Premier said Mr Morrison had the right approach to the issue and it was one that the majority of Australians supported.

Liberal sources familiar with the text exchange said it did not mention Mr Kean specifically but was designed to assure Mr Morrison that he had the support of the NSW government.

The Prime Minister stood firm against a “pile on’’ from political opponents and Liberal moderates for Ms Deves to be disendorsed.

“She is a woman, standing up for women, and girls and their access to fair sport in this country,” Mr Morrison said.

“I’m not going to allow her to be silenced, I’m not going to allow her to be pushed aside as the pile on comes in to try and silence her.”

Ms Deves, Mr Morrison’s captain’s pick for the seat won by independent Zali Steggall from former prime minister Tony Abbott in 2019, has sparked a storm among Liberal moderates, including Mr Kean.

Ms Deves withdrew from a community event for Warringah candidates on Tuesday night, prompting strong criticism.

Katherine Deves withdrew from a community event for Warringah candidates on Tuesday night. Pictured Kristyn Glanville and Zali Steggall. Jane Dempster/The Australian.

The event, attended by Ms Steggall and Greens candidate Kristyn Glanville, had been billed as an opportunity for all candidates to tell local voters why they deserved support at the election.

Ms Deves had previously committed to attend.

Event chairman Ray Mathieson told the audience: “I think Katherine has missed a great ­opportunity tonight. I’m sorry she’s not here.”

He said later: “I’m not just sorry, I’m angry.”

Ms Steggall said it was important for candidates to speak to ­voters, explain where they stood on all issues and take questions.

“She’s missed an opportunity - all candidates should be prepared to front up to voters and say what they stand for.

“That’s why we’re running for election, to represent our ­community.”

Ms Steggall said she stood by her position that Ms Deves was an unsuitable Liberal candidate and should withdraw from running for the party in Warringah.

Matt Kean says there is ‘no place in a mainstream political party for bigotry’. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

She also criticised Mr Morrison for choosing Ms Deves and then standing by her “despite being aware of her views not only on transgender issues but others”.

A senior government source said while the Prime Minister’s position on transgender sport was not part of a strategy to bolster support in Sydney’s western suburbs or the regions, many voters would agree with his stance.

“It is a legitimate topic of conversation that would have heads nodding around the kitchen table,’’ the source said.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has backed Scott Morrison’s position on women competing against women in sport. Picture Cath Piltz

Another Liberal source said the Prime Minister’s position came from a genuine belief that people should not be “cancelled” and not wanting to pick another candidate and reignite the internal divisions in the NSW branch over the centralised selection process that cut out the branches.

The source said the Prime Minister’s view on transgender sport “would be widely shared by voters in Queensland and other regions’’.

Despite the attacks on Mr Morrison over his candidate, the issue is playing well for the federal government in focus-group research. Parents largely agree with Mr Morrison and Ms Deves on the broader issue that women should not be competing against trans athletes in sport.

The positive reception has given Mr Morrison the confidence to continue to support Mr Deves’ candidacy in Warringah.

Trent Zimmerman. Picture: Renee Nowytarger

Dave Sharma. Picture: Renee Nowytarger

Moderate Liberals, including North Sydney MP Trent Zimmerman, have called for Ms Deves to be disendorsed, after she was forced to apologise and withdraw claims that transgender children were being “surgically mutilated” and compared the treatment of people who did not support teenagers transitioning to the “Grudge trials of the Third Reich”.

Mr Kean said there was “no place in a mainstream political party for bigotry”.

Several Liberal sources said they believed Mr Kean was using this issue as a bedrock for a future Liberal leadership tilt against Mr Perrottet. Federal sources also noted Mr Kean has an ongoing relationship with former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull. The pair speak regularly.

Josh Frydenberg also rebuked Ms Deves over her comments, labelling them “insensitive, in­appropriate and unacceptable”, but did not call for her expulsion.

“There’s no mistaking that. I feel very strongly about that,” the Treasurer said.

“She has raised concerns about the safety of girls, fairness in sport and legitimate competition. I do think they are legitimate issues and I think that many parents can understand that.”

The Premier’s office declined to comment in relation to private conversations between the Premier and Prime Minister.

Liberal sources noted Mr Kean has an ongoing relationship with former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. The pair speak on a regular basis.

Mr Kean has been calling for Ms Deves to be dumped in part to help the prospects of Federal Liberal MPs in inner city seats under threat from independent candidates, including Dave Sharma in Wentworth and Trent Zimmerman in North Sydney.

But senior Liberals say his intervention has backfired, making their job even more difficult by highlighting the issue in multiple prominent media appearances.

“This was burning out. It’s a fringe issue and then Matt intervened and increased its profile. It then dissipated over the Easter weekend and then Matt was on ABC radio again,” one senior MP said.

While Mr Kean’s prominence on this issue may be hurting the very members of his own Moderate faction he is purportedly trying to support, it is helping Mr Morrison’s campaign in suburban, marginal seats, where the issue plays well with multicultural voters.

There are Liberals who would like to see Mr Kean dumped from the Liberal Party over both his radical-left views and his disunity during a federal election campaign.

One senior Liberal said: “As Treasurer, Matt should be focused on the budget and not culture wars.”

Mr Perrotet struck a deal with Mr Kean to form the leadership in NSW following the resignation of former Premier Gladys Berejiklian.

Mr Perrottet hails from the Conservative faction, while Mr Kean is the leader of the Moderates in NSW.

Mr Morrison is part of the Centre-right faction, led by Alex Hawke in NSW.