Howard backs Curtin contender

Celia Hammond is the frontrunner heading into tomorrow’s preselection meeting for the WA seat of Curtin. Picture: Supplied

Former university chief Celia Hammond has won the heavyweight endorsement of John Howard as she ramps up her bid to convince Liberal Party preselectors to hand her the blue-ribbon seat of Curtin, in Perth’s affluent western suburbs.

While Ms Hammond, 50, is the frontrunner heading into tomorrow’s preselection meeting, sources say her two main rivals, foreign policy analyst Erin ­Watson-Lynn and resources executive Anna Dartnell, could triumph if they impress in their presentations on the day.

Some of Ms Hammond’s supporters are worried the former University of Notre Dame vice-chancellor’s views may be seen as too conservative in an electorate that delivered the strongest Yes vote in Western Australia in the same-sex marriage survey in 2017.

It has emerged in the past week that Ms Hammond, a staunch Catholic, once described the Rainbow pride flag as politically charged and divisive. In a 2013 speech, she also railed against sex before marriage and contraception while claiming feminism had become “pro-abortion, anti-men and anti-family”.

In materials that were sent to Curtin preselectors, Ms Hammond listed Mr Howard, Australia’s second longest-serving prime minister, as her referee.

The Weekend Australian has been told Ms Hammond and Mr Howard have maintained a friendship since the establishment of the University of Notre Dame’s Sydney campus in 2004, which Mr Howard opened as prime minister.

Opponents of Ms Hammond said yesterday they believed the reference from Mr Howard could backfire after it emerged last week that he had written a character ­reference for convicted sex ­offender George Pell. Her supporters maintained that Mr Howard’s backing reinforced her credibility as a candidate.

A spokeswoman for Mr Howard said yesterday he would not make comments ahead of the preselection meeting.

Ms Hammond is being backed by federal Finance Minister ­Mathias Cormann and other Liberal conservatives.

Liberal powerbrokers worked behind the scenes for weeks to encourage Ms Hammond to enter the contest as a replacement for Julie Bishop, who will stand down at the federal election after 20 years as MP for Curtin.

This was seen as a blow to Ms Bishop’s plans to help choose her own successor.

Ms Watson-Lynn, 33, is a moderate who has the backing of Ms Bishop’s camp. Ms Dartnell, 45, works as Aurizon’s general manager for iron ore and boasts 20 years’ experience in major companies including Rio Tinto, General Motors, Foster’s and EY.

Some have speculated that she could poll well in tomorrow’s ballot, given some of the negative media coverage about Ms Hammond and Ms Watson-Lynn.

Ms Dartnell is also a non-executive director at Brightwater Care Group and the Kimberley Ports Authority. Unlike Ms Hammond and Ms Watson-Lynn, she does not have a powerful or prominent backer in her corner.

The other two candidates in tomorrow’s contest will be management consultant Karen Caddy and WA Liberal Party figure Andres Timmermanis. The Liberals hold Curtin on a margin of 20.7 per cent, making it the party’s second-safest seat in the nation.