Andrew Constance confirms he will run for Eden-Monaro

NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance has confirmed he will seek preselection for the federal seat of Eden-Monaro as a Liberal candidate.

NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance. Picture: Getty Images

NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance has confirmed he will seek preselection for the federal seat of Eden-Monaro as a Liberal candidate.

Speaking from Narooma in his current state electorate of Bega on Tuesday, Mr Constance confirmed his candidature and said he would run on issues that impact the southern NSW electorate like bushfire recovery and the post-coronavirus economy.

“I am going to be seeking preselection for the Liberal party for the federal seat of Eden-Monaro,” he said.

“It comes at a time where it is fair to say our community has been put through catastrophe after catastrophe and it is time we look very hard and long at how we’re going to get through the challenges that beset us, from fire, to COVID, and of course the economic impact we are seeing across our region and of course, our country.”

Mr Constance said the people of Eden-Monaro had no time for partisan politics.

“We have a united community, to be honest with you, their views on partisan politics is one which they’d like to see cast aside,” he said.

“They are a community which have been through so much. So much pain, trauma...I believe, with the retirement of Mike Kelly, I have this opportunity to try and ensure and deliver a great outcome when it comes to recovery.”

In an announcement that stunned colleagues, NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro revealed on Monday morning that he intended to stay on as a high-ranking figure in the Berejiklian government, and that he would not contest the regional seat. This is despite assuring colleagues less than 12 hours earlier of his intention to run as a candidate.

NSW Senator Jim Molan, also mooted as a frontrunning candidate, withdrew his own intention to nominate several hours later, citing medical issues and an upcoming operation scheduled for Thursday.

The withdrawal of both men ended days of internecine feuding between state and federal Coalition MPs over whether to back Mr Barilaro or Mr Constance, both of whom were claiming to have polling indicating their likelihood of electoral success against Kristy McBain, the mayor of Bega and endorsed Labor candidate.

Some officials within the Liberal Party claim Crosby Textor polling of Mr Constance’s chances proved he was the superior candidate, though that data has not been released or supplied to branch presidents. Nationals polling released to The Australian last week suggested Mr Barilaro would comfortably win the seat with 52 per cent of the vote.

With Mr Barilaro and Mr Molan out of the way, the Liberals are working to fast-track the endorsement of Mr Constance, who is expected to announce his candidacy on Tuesday, which will require him to vacate his state seat and role in the Berejiklian government’s cabinet. Nominations for preselection do not close until Friday, but if no further candidates emerge, Mr Constance could receive endorsement sooner.

Senator Jim Molan has withdrawn from consideration for the seat of Eden-Monaro. Picture: Jonathan Ng

His exit state politics is likely to spark a reshuffle of cabinet portfolios, with jostling already underway for Mr Constance’s Transport portfolio. There will also be a by-election held for his state seat of Bega, which he holds with an 8.2 per cent margin. It swung towards Labor in 2019.

A well-placed Liberal Party source said four prospective Eden Monaro candidates were being encouraged not to run for preselection in order to prevent a lengthy nomination process, which would slow down campaigning within the seat.

“There are definitely calls being made to help smooth the way for Constance to be the candidate,” they said. A date for the Eden-Monaro by-election has not been set.

Mr Barilaro on Tuesday morning said his decision not to run for Eden-Monaro came from a desire to spend more time with his young daughter and a belief that people should not become career politicians.

“I was on the farm on the weekend...it’s a great farm and there’s no mobile reception for the most part of it,” Mr Barilaro told 2GB.

“I was in a little cubby house with my four and a half year old and she reminded me of having fun and being silly, and in my mind - for her - all she’s ever known is I get in a plane or I get in a car and I speak weeks away, or days away.

“So that was, I think, the final moment.”

Mr Barilaro said he did not want to run for another federal seat as he was too connected to the area which his state electorate of Monaro and Eden-Monaro encompasses. He also said that “ten years in politics is a long time.”

“The days are gone where you can have a career in politics,” Mr Barilaro said, adding that once the “fire in the belly” is lost, you should “get out, get out to the real world and contribute in another way.”

However, Mr Barilaro, who has served in NSW parliament since 2011, said that “I’ve still got that fire in my belly. I love what I do here in NSW.”

Yesterday, sounding hoarse and at times emotional, Mr Barilaro said he bore no grudge with Mr Constance, who publicly promised not to stand as a candidate unless Mr Barilaro withdrew from the race. Both men said they were committed not to run against each other.

Liberal Party sources told The Australian that as of 6:30pm on Sunday night, Mr Barilaro was still committed to his candidacy. They were at a loss to explain his sudden change of heart.

“He’s just walked away from his political dream,” said one MP.

“The polling showed that I could win,” Mr Barilaro told reporters, adding that the decision was undoubtedly a difficult and emotional one. “Sometimes in this game you let ego get in the way of good decisions, and I’ve got to make the best decision for me, my family, for the people of NSW, but most importantly for the people of Eden Monaro.”

Prior to the weekend, Mr Barilaro had participated in several interviews in which he expressed a strong interest in standing as a candidate, with some MPs describing this ambition as long-held and an opportunity of a lifetime to enter federal politics.

Nationals MPs loyal to the Deputy Prime Minister, Michael McCormack, were understood to have worked to block Mr Barilaro due to concerns he would destabilise Mr McCormack’s leadership.

Asked by reporters if he felt betrayed by Mr Constance, whose interest in contesting the seat ultimately derailed Mr Barilaro’s candidacy, he said the pair had been friends for decades and there was a simple reason for his withdrawal.

“The polling will show that clearly Andrew can win the seat, and clearly I can win the seat, but at the end of the day it’s not about winning the seat – it’s about what’s right for the people of Eden Monaro, and that’s what my decision is based on.”

Additional reporting: Lachlan Moffet Gray