Axing of Jim Molan suicidal, says John Ruddick

The dumping of Jim Molan from a winnable Liberal Senate spot will likely spark years of internal warring in the NSW division.

Senator Jim Molan. Picture: Kym Smith

The dumping of former army general Jim Molan from a winnable Liberal spot on the NSW Senate ticket for next year’s federal election has been branded “suicidal” for the party’s chances of defeating Labor, and the likely spark for years of internal warring.

NSW Liberal right-winger John Ruddick said yesterday the weekend preselection outcome ensuring the end of Senator Molan’s brief parliamentary ­career would further demoralise the party’s base, costing votes.

Mr Ruddick was joined by Tony Abbott and other party conservatives in expressing bitter disappointment after NSW Liberal centre-right faction leader and federal minister Alex Hawke ensured Hollie Hughes finished first in the preselection contest.

Party moderate Andrew Bragg finished second, leaving Senator Molan with the party’s third spot but relegated to fourth on the joint Coalition ticket — after the ­Nationals’ chosen candidate.

“I can’t believe the party could be so dumb, because no person in the party is more popular than Jim — Hollie Hughes is not popular,” Mr Ruddick told The Australian.

“This is suicidal for the coming campaign, for the federal and NSW campaigns.

“In both, we have serious ­challenges.

“We need manpower, and Bill Shorten and (NSW Labor leader) Michael Daley could not be more thrilled, or the party more demoralised, by kicking Jim Molan in the guts.”

Mr Ruddick, a former candidate for federal Liberal president and author of new book Make the Liberal Party Great Again, lashed out at disregard for the retired general’s military record and experience since as architect of the government’s Operation Sovereign Borders.

He predicted internal ructions would continue well past next year’s federal and state elections, possibly from opposition, if the party did not become “thoroughly democratised”.

Speaking on 2GB radio, Mr ­Abbott said he found it “absolutely nauseating” that Senator Molan could miss out on a safe Senate seat. “I was personally extremely disappointed because as far as I’m concerned, Jim is an outstanding Australian who has made a fine contribution in his time in the ­Senate,” he said.

Senator Molan scored his seat only last December after Nationals senator Fiona Nash was ruled ineligible to remain in office under section 44 of the Constitution because of her British citizenship.

Senator Nash’s spot was to go to Ms Hughes, who was sixth on the 2016 Senate ticket, but Ms ­Hughes was ruled ineligible as well under another part of section 44 because she had taken an “office for profit under the crown” by ­accepting a government job with the Administrative Appeals Tribunal following the 2016 election when she thought she had no chance of gaining a Senate spot.

Senator Molan, seventh on the Coalition’s 2016 ticket in NSW, then took the seat.

Ms Hughes, who quit the AAT in the false hope of succeeding Ms Nash, now works as head of ­government for Sydney executive recruitment firm Salt and Shein.