Tony Abbott accuses incoming climate tsar Matt Kean of preselection ‘factional stitch up’

The former prime minister has hit out at Anthony Albanese’s new climate tsar, as the former NSW treasurer attempts to install a candidate described as ‘Matt Kean on steroids’.

Former Liberal prime minister Tony Abbott criticised Matt Kean for what he called a ‘factional stitch up’ in the NSW MP’s seat of Hornsby. Picture: Martin Ollman

Former prime minister Tony Abbott has accused Anthony Albanese’s new climate tsar Matt Kean of attempting to “stitch up” a Liberal preselection to install his political acolyte even as he prepared to imminently join the Labor government’s bureaucratic ranks.

The outburst from the former Liberal leader comes after Mr Kean quit NSW parliament in June – although he still has yet to formally resign – to become the Prime Minister’s Climate Change Authority head, a political manoeuvre from the Labor leader that left Liberals fuming.

Mr Abbott made a strong rebuke of the former state treasurer while endorsing Michael Hutchence in the Liberal Hornsby preselection to replace Mr Kean.

In turn, Mr Kean is trying to install lawyer James Wallace – described by party insiders as “Matt Kean on steroids” – who he called a “once in a generation political talent” at his June valedictory speech.

“Frankly, the idea that the sitting MP (Mr Kean) can resign because it suits him and then deliver the preselection to his preferred candidate is pretty out­rageous and shows how far the party has slipped,” Mr Abbott said in a written endorsement for Mr Hutchence, a former Hornsby deputy mayor.

“I’m really pleased Michael Hutchence is in the race so it doesn’t become yet another factional stitch up.”

Although Liberal moderate Mr Kean announced his political retirement in mid-June, and gave his valedictory speech that same week, he has yet to formally tender his resignation to Speaker Greg Piper MP, who must rubber-stamp his exit.

Party insiders said the delay was twofold: to align with the exit of former premier Dominic Perrottet, who announced his resignation in July, so the pair’s seats will likely go to by-election on the same weekend and to help Mr Wallace get the numbers in Hornsby’s Liberal branches.

Mr Kean will start his new role with the Climate Change Authority in the next few weeks.

Mr Kean, left, pictured at the announcement of his new position with Energy Minister Chris Bowen, centre, and Mr Albanese. Picture: Martin Ollman

Mr Abbott said Mr Hutchence subscribed to the “Menzies ‘We Believe’ statement” and would be aligned to the ­“Menzies-Howard tradition” in the state parliamentary party.

Mr Perrottet and new Cook MP Simon Kennedy have also written endorsements for Mr Hutchence, as has former NSW senator and ambassador to the US Arthur Sinodinos.

Party insiders said it would likely be a straight shootout between Mr Wallace, who lives in the neighbouring Willoughby electorate, and Mr Hutchence, a Hornsby local.

Barrister Ishita Sethi has been described as the only other candidate from the field to be able to challenge that.

Some senior Liberal sources said Mr Abbott’s intervention showed “how strongly he must feel about it” and the preselection could become a “mini referendum” on the state division’s direction.

“(Members) could be installing Kean 2.0 … and (Wallace) doesn’t hide that,” one source said of the candidate, saying he was of Mr Kean’s “green Liberal” mould and similarly cold on the federal party’s nuclear plans.