Liberal stalwart Kevin Andrews loses Menzies preselection to Keith Wolahan

Liberal stalwart Kevin Andrews’ 30 year-long parliamentary career has ended in preselection defeat.

Former special forces captain and barrister Keith Wolahan with Josh Frydenberg on Sunday in Ivanhoe, Melbourne. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ David Crosling

Conservative Liberal stalwart Kevin Andrews has been ousted by local party members after nearly 30 years in federal parliament, losing preselection for his Victorian seat of Menzies in a landslide to former special forces captain and barrister Keith ­Wolahan.

Despite endorsements from Scott Morrison and in-person support from Josh Frydenberg, the Menzies Liberal preselectors chose the younger Mr Wolahan over the veteran Mr Andrews by 181 votes to 111 on Sunday.

Senior party sources said Mr Wolahan’s success was a win for state Liberal president Robert Clark, who faces a threat from conservative forces in elections later this year.

Liberal sources on Sunday said Mr Wolahan won the preselectors over with a rousing speech in the Centre Ivanhoe — with the preselection held outside the seat of Menzies because of social distancing requirement — and 292 of 318 eligible electors showed up.

Mr Andrews’s preselection loss is a setback for the conservative wing of the Victorian Liberal Party as the veteran was a close ally of Tony Abbott for many years and was strongly supported in his preselection bid by Assistant Treasurer and factional heavyweight Michael Sukkar.

Kevin Andrews. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ David Crosling

Mr Andrews — who held the defence, immigration and employment ministers in the governments of John Howard and Mr Abbott — said he would serve out his term and was open to serving his country after he left parliament. “The greatest privilege an Australian can have is to serve in the federal parliament, and to have done so for almost three decades is something I wake up every morning and shake myself that I’ve been able to do that,” he said after his loss.

“My commitment has always been to the people of Menzies and the people of Australia. I wish my successor well, I wish that in the future the Liberal Party will remain united, stable, strong.”

Mr Abbott told The Australian Mr Andrews should be “very proud” of his parliamentary contribution over 30 years. “Kevin Andrews was a rare voice of conviction and courage when we needed it most,” he said on Sunday. “Kevin was the kind of person who had the ability to appeal to Australian aspirational workers. Parliament is the better for his presence.”

Keith Wolahan picture with his family from his Liberal party preselection Menzies brochure. Picture: Supplied

The Treasurer was at the preselection on Sunday as the Prime Minister’s representative, and said the party members’ decision to not choose the Liberal federal leadership’s endorsed candidate was a symbol of the Victorian Liberal Party’s internal democracy.

The Australian understands former supporters of Mr Andrews — the longest continuously serving MP in the House of Representatives — shifted behind Mr Wolahan ahead of the preselection contest, partly because of accusations of branch stacking levelled at the former minister’s office late last year.

Mr Frydenberg said he got behind Mr Andrews to support a long-time parliamentary colleague, adding that Mr Wolahan would be a good MP for Menzies.

“Kevin Andrews has served the people of Menzies and the people of Australia with distinction for nearly 30 years,” he said.

Mr Andrews will be granted a lifelong pension as he was elected before 2004 and speculation has started that he may be in line for a diplomatic post.

Mr Wolahan on Sunday said his win showed younger people had a place in politics.