Election 2022: Heel-dragging Alex Hawke ‘left candidates without a hope’

One of Scott Morrison’s key Liberal allies, Alex Hawke, faces a new round of criticism from internal critics who claim he con­tributed to the large number of seat losses in NSW.

Liberal MP Alex Hawke. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

One of Scott Morrison’s key Liberal allies, Alex Hawke, faces a new round of criticism from internal critics who claim he con­tributed to the large number of seat losses in NSW by agreeing to drag out the selection of candidates in the state.

Mr Hawke, the former prime minister’s representative on the NSW Liberals’ executive, as well as serving as immigration minister, was at the centre of party squabbling which led to delays in endorsing up to nine candidates.

The delays were caused in part because of efforts by Mr Morrison to save ministerial colleague Sussan Ley, under preselection threat in her NSW seat of Farrer. The seats of Mitchell, held by Mr Hawke, and North Sydney, held by Trent Zimmerman, were also thought to be at risk in preselections, while Mr Morrison appears to have wanted preselection ­delays elsewhere so he could ­impose candidates he wanted at the last minute.

Failed NSW Liberal candidates say chances of success were damaged when there was not enough time to organise campaigns and raise money. They claim the spectacle of party bickering in public also reinforced voters’ negative attitudes towards Mr Morrison and his government.

The NSW Liberal Party is still in shock after losing former strongholds Wentworth, North Sydney and Mackellar to teal ­independents, and the failure to win or make any gains in Warringah, held by independent MP Zali Steggall.

Critics of Mr Hawke say NSW party delays contributed to losses not only in North Sydney and Warringah, but also in Parra­matta, Dobell and cliffhanger Bennelong. One defeated Liberal MP said the “entire process” for choosing candidates was frustrating, although he understood Mr Morrison’s keenness to save Ms Ley. “It also became a public narrative,” he said. “It wasn’t just ­internal frustration – the public thought that it was a bit of a joke.

“It dissipated during the campaign itself … but what we saw play out was everything being put on hold. And as a bargaining chip, Alex played everyone, while candidates he supported got early ­endorsement, like Sarah Richards in Macquarie and Melissa Mc­Intosh in Lindsay.”

Another defeated Liberal told The Australian that Mr Morrison and Mr Hawke were the main problem.

“I don’t think it was Hawke alone, it was very much driven by Morrison,” he said. “But Hawke was the implementer. It had all the hallmarks of Morrison’s thinking – some of that cleverness he practices which sometimes blows up in his face.

“The only one where we potentially have a chance of success is Andrew Constance (in Gilmore), but everything else was a case of bad picks, badly supported campaigns, and in the case of Katherine Deves (in Warringah), it became a huge distraction. It encapsulated what people thought of Morrison and his leadership, and why they disliked him.”

Mr Hawke did not return The Australian’s call seeking comment.