NSW Liberals delay AGM to avoid internal fight as by-election looms

The NSW Liberals will delay this year’s AGM amid fears that infighting could erupt during the Bennelong by-election.

Former PM Tony Abbott. Picture: AAP

The NSW Liberals will delay this year’s annual general meeting amid fears that factional infighting could erupt during the planned December meeting and derail the Bennelong by-election campaign.

It is understood that Malcolm Turnbull yesterday endorsed the decision of state president Kent Johns to postpone the AGM until early next year to allow all of the party’s resources to be poured into a by-election that will be critical to the government’s fragile hold on power.

Delaying the AGM will put off reforms to the party’s preselection process aimed at diminishing the power of factional chieftains, being largely pushed by Tony Abbott.

But a senior party source said the decision had little to do with Mr Abbott and “more to do with the party resources being better utilised to fight a pretty important by-election”.

But Mr Abbott told The Australian: “This is an unnecessary own goal. The last thing we need is to look like we are reform-shy at this time.”

The AGM would have started the process of electing the next president of the party’s NSW division, which has been plagued with infighting between rival factions.

High-profile party member and retired major-general Jim Molan, who had led the campaign for reform, has now been forced to abandon his bid for the presidency with the likelihood he will be confirmed to fill the NSW Senate vacancy left by a string of High Court decisions.

When contacted by The Australian yesterday, Mr Molan, who had once commanded the federal government’s Operation Sovereign Borders, said he had just become aware of the decision to delay the AGM, and while he was disappointed there would be a delay on much-needed party reforms, he supported the reason behind it.