Teals smell blood in Bradfield as Liberal moderate Paul Fletcher exits

Coalition frontbencher Paul Fletcher’s sudden political departure has dealt another blow to the Liberals’ moderate faction and emboldened a teal surge.

Bradfield Liberal MP Paul Fletcher will exit politics after 15 years. Picture: John Appleyard

Coalition frontbencher and former minister Paul Fletcher’s sudden political departure has dealt another blow to the Liberals’ moderate faction and emboldened a teal surge that smells blood in its bid to claim his north Sydney seat of Bradfield.

Announcing his retirement from politics after 15 years in parliament, Mr Fletcher, the opposition’s government services and digital economy spokesman, becomes the second moderate in as many weeks to exit before next year’s poll following the sudden departure of senator Simon Birmingham, the Coalition’s foreign affairs spokesman.

Jim Chalmers has said it showed that “Peter Dutton’s divisiveness” was “chasing” moderates out of the party.

Mr Fletcher’s exit also emboldens Bradfield “teal” independent candidate Nicolette Boele, who ran the Liberal MP close in 2022 and whose campaign is rejuvenated as it goes for a second tilt.

Thanking the Liberal Party, his electorate and family, Mr Fletcher said it was time to bow out of politics before a return to the private sector. “Renewal is healthy, for people and institutions, and now is the right time to hand over the baton,” he said.

“I will leave with a deep sense of gratitude for the opportunity to serve in parliament and as a cabinet minister, a continued – if in some places tempered and better informed – faith in Australia’s democratic system, and considerable optimism about the future of this remarkable country we all love so much.”

Mr Fletcher’s departure should, given the loss of campaign advantages related to incumbency, make Bradfield an even tighter race, where the Liberals held off Ms Boele in 2022 on a 4.2 per cent margin.

Liberal sources called his political retirement a “blow” and said it was important to “balance” the party after the exit of two senior moderates. “He’s a very experienced operator and it will be harder to maintain Bradfield,” a senior source said.

Another senior Liberal said while Mr Fletcher was a well-liked local member, the Coalition’s standing in Bradfield had “reached a low ebb” in 2022.

Nicolette Boele and Simon Holmes a Court pictured during the 2022 election campaign.

“We weren’t used to a marginal seat campaign, so we have now redoubled are efforts in that seat,” they said, adding that the party was “eyes open” to how tough a challenge retaining Bradfield was. “Whether Paul was going around again or retiring, it would have been seat to defend … It presents the opportunity for ­renewal.”

Sources pointed to former North Sydney candidate Gisele Kapterian, who was endorsed to run before the seat was abolished, as the most effective choice against the teals.

“Gisele went through a pre­selection process for North Sydney, an adjoining seat, and she’s been campaigning in half of that electorate for months,” they said.

“We are so close to an election – let’s get this done fast.”

Ms Boele on Tuesday thanked Mr Fletcher for his public service but called for the seat to be represented by an independent not tied to the Dutton leadership, although Liberal sources described her as running a “Trump-style shadow electorate office”, who had been “self-elected, not democratically elected”.

“While Paul Fletcher and I may disagree with each other on many things, there is much to respect and admire in his long period of service to our community and the country,” Ms Boele said.

“For 75 years, one political party has held Bradfield. Now is the opportunity for an independent to make a difference. “

Mr Fletcher’s departure drew well-wishes from Labor on Tuesday, but the Treasurer said it showed that Liberals had vacated the centre ground and turned further right. “Two moderates leaving the Liberals in two weeks … makes it very, very clear Peter Dutton’s divisiveness is chasing the moderates out of the Liberals,” he said, accusing the Coalition of being inhospitable to centrist members or voters. “The Liberals are not a middle-of-the-road party, they are an extreme right party, and I think the departure of two moderates in two weeks makes that really clear.”