Push for Tony Abbott to take Jim Molan’s Senate spot

Michael Kroger calls for the former PM to return to parliament through the NSW senate vacancy, saying there’s no better candidate.

Tony Abbott would be the first former prime minister to return to parliament after losing or retiring in Australian history.

Former Victorian Liberal president and powerbroker Michael Kroger has called for the return of Tony Abbott to parliament through the new NSW senate vacancy.

Mr Kroger, a two-term Victorian Liberal president and conservative leader, said there could be no better candidate than the former prime minister to help the Coalition in opposition.

“Whilst this is solely a matter for the NSW division to determine who will be the replacement for the five-year term in the Senate, I believe, there can be no better candidate than former prime minister Tony Abbott,” Mr Kroger said on Wednesday.

“Tony Abbott is arguably the most successful opposition leader during my lifetime and his depth of experience would be a major benefit for the new opposition.”

The death of senator Jim Molan has created a five-year upper house vacancy for the Liberal Party in NSW which has to be filled by a Liberal who will be selected by the full 750-member state council.

There are already discussions within the Liberal Party about delaying the nomination process for a new senator until after the NSW state election in March as individuals and factions position themselves for the ballot.

A delay in the process until after the election would provide time for a bigger field of candidates even beyond the conservative faction which nominally is entitled to provide the replacement.

Tony Abbott and Jim Molan in 2013.

Mr Abbott has strong support among the rank and file of the party but senior Liberals believe that if he were to decide to return to parliament it would be better for him to do so by standing for the House of Representatives.

Despite the popular support for Mr Abbott, who lost his seat of Warringah at the 2019 election, he would have to win a ballot for the senate vacancy or any pre-selection vote for a House of Representatives seat.

There hasn’t been a former prime minister return to the parliament after losing or retiring in Australian history. Before the last federal election former National Party leader and deputy prime minister John Anderson, who retired from parliament in 2005, failed to win a party ballot after making a bid to enter the Senate.

Mr Kroger said Mr Abbott’s experience in opposition would help the Coalition.

“In recent decades the Hawke-Keating, Howard and Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison were all in office for 10 years or more,” he said. “The Rudd-Gillard-Rudd government served for only six years and one of the big reasons for that was Tony Abbott’s performance as opposition leader.

“Whilst I question the Labor government’s appointment of Kevin Rudd as ambassador to the US I can understand why the Albanese government would want to make use of the experience and position of a former prime minister.

“Tony Abbott’s immense political success and experience moving into the Senate would come at exactly the right time for the opposition.

“He is close to Peter Dutton and would help advance the Coalition’s position.”

The leading contender from the conservative faction for the Senate vacancy is Catholic School NSW chief Dallas McInerney but amid the calls for a delay in deciding a replacement the moderate faction is considering contesting the vacancy.

Other possible candidates include former NSW transport minister Andrew Constance, former Wentworth MP Dave Sharma and one-time Liberal War-ringah candidate Jane Buncle. Former NSW Liberal senator and minister Concetta Fierravanti-Wells was pushed down the Senate ticket by the right faction in favour of Senator Molan and lost her senate spot last year.