NSW Liberal factions locked in new candidate standoff

The NSW Liberal Party’s factions are once again paralysed by infighting over the endorsement of Women’s Council president Jacqui Munro as an upper house candidate.

NSW Liberal candidate Jacqui Munro.

The NSW Liberal Party’s factions are once again paralysed by infighting over the endorsement of Women’s Council president Jacqui Munro as an upper house candidate for the looming state election.

The renewed brawl comes just days after former parliamentary secretary Peter Poulos was disendorsed and suspended from the party for six months over revelations he circulated explicit images of a female Liberal rival ahead of a preselection battle in 2018.

Late on Sunday night, a meeting of senior moderates – including Treasurer Matt Kean, former North Sydney MP Trent Zimmerman, former arts minister Don Harwin, and Metropolitan Roads Minister Natalie Ward – settled on Ms Munro as Mr Poulos’ replacement.

But the decision caused an immediate backlash, with party members alleging her coronation had been done without consulting members of the southwest area her spot was supposed to represent, while others claimed the former adviser to Wentworth independent Kerryn Phelps was far too progressive.

Ms Munro, a senior public relations consultant, was contacted for comment.

Supposed to be sent to state executive members on Monday morning, a fax ballot confirming Ms Munro’s appointment remained unsighted by the evening, as moderate powerbrokers scrambled to ensure she had the necessary support.

“Kean, (moderate powerbroker James) Wallace and Trent have spent a frantic 24 hours claiming to have every possible combination of state executive votes. It took five minutes for the executive to call their bluff,” one source on state executive told The Australian.

Transport Minister David Elliott confirmed speculation he would nominate for the spot, but Premier Dominic Perrottet failed to endorse his longstanding MP, instead saying he had made a “significant contribution” to the parliament” and had a “lot to be proud of”. Mr Kean swiftly moved to shut down Mr Elliott’s aspirations, saying the best option for the state was ensuring a female candidate replaced Mr Poulos.

“What I’d like to see is a female fill that vacancy,” he said. “That’s no secret, I’ve been campaigning on that front for a while and that’s what I think should happen.”

Moderate members of state executive said they were confident Ms Munro would get the numbers, but conceded selection was reliant on powerbrokers convincing conservative members she was the right candidate.

Conservative sources, however, claimed five of their seven members on state executive were planning to reject her selection.

Members of state executive opposed to Ms Munro said former Holsworthy MP Melanie Gibbons, who lost a preselection battle to Tina Ayyad in late November, was the best candidate, as the least controversial of those proposed.

The factional brawl comes just two months after efforts to replace three men on the party’s upper house ticket with women were shot down, before ultimately being successful.