Leaked emails reveal a phone call from the PM saved Craig Kelly, infuriated moderates

Withering leaked emails reveal a phone call from Scott Morrison saved Craig Kelly, and split furious Liberal moderates.

We changed our vote because I had a personal phone call from Scott Morrison and I respect him,” Sally Betts said. Picture: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Prime Minister Scott Morrison had to personally call members of the NSW Liberal Party’s state executive to convince them not to block Craig Kelly’s preselection after former PM Malcolm Turnbull asked them to.

One of the moderates on the Liberal Party state executive who were going to acquiesce to Malcolm Turnbull’s wish to knock off Craig Kelly’s preselection has delivered a late night withering email spray to Moderates faction boss Trent Zimmerman, saying that he should lose his job over the stoush — and revealing it was Mr Morrison who got her to abstain and save Mr Kelly.

Former Waverley mayor Sally Betts bagged Mr Zimmerman, the federal MP for North Sydney, for not getting a better deal for the moderates in supporting Mr Kelly — such as getting Mr Morrison to force Centre Right leader Alex Hawke off State Executive.

Ms Betts also accused Mr Zimmerman of misrepresenting her in saying it was Malcolm Turnbull’s tweets saying Mr Kelly should be blocked that motivated her and others to eventually abstain from the vote and let Mr Kelly’s preselection through.

Mr Turnbull told state minister Matt Kean on Sunday night the moderates should oppose Mr Kelly to force him to the crossbench and pressure Mr Morrison to an early election — which would help the prospects of the Berejiklian government at the March 23 NSW election.

The email from Ms Betts, sent to Mr Zimmerman at 10.39pm on Monday night says: “The moderates are in crises (sic) — due to you and [fellow moderates leader] Matt [Kean] — we need a resolution.”

“I am told that you went on radio saying that Harry [Stutchbury], Chris [Rath] and I abstained because of Malcolm’s tweets,” the email says.

“How dare you speak for us. That is simply untrue.

“It is beyond all moderates’ views that you felt it OK to endorse Kelly and that is the reason that the three of us are the only ones in this event that have shown any integrity.

“Your behaviour in not even being prepared to put on the table the swapping of [Alex] Hawke for a moderate on State Executive makes me wonder where your loyalty lies.

“To say that the moderates are disappointed in you, as our supposed leader, is an understatement.

“In the absence — again — of not moderate leadership from you and Matt, I was left to negotiate directly with the PM.

‘We abstained because the PM asked us’

“I had to put Felicity [Wilson’s preselection in North Shore which is still being challenged] and the Senate and the removal of Hawke on the table.

“We made it quite clear and I will not go public that we abstained because the PM asked us.

“Not you, not Matt, not Paul [Fletcher]. The PM.

“You supported Kelly, a thug, a bully and a disgrace and you need to explain that to the moderates.

“You were happy to sell the moderates down the river and not even ask for anything for our vote. How many other deals are you going to do that disadvantage the moderates??

“My personal disappointment in you is profound. And I am telling you that you have no authority to speak for me or anyone else ever again. I doubt if the majority of the moderates want you to speak for them either.”

Yesterday, Ms Betts told The Australian: “We were going to vote no to the motion … taking into consideration Craig Kelly’s background and the promises he made three years ago he hasn’t honoured.

“We changed our vote because I had a personal call from the PM and I respect him.”

Mr Zimmerman would not comment on the email, but sent a statement to The Australian saying he understood why some members of the faction were disappointed with the decision to protect Mr Kelly from a preselection ballot.

“My obligation is to put the interests of the government and the party first and as difficult as it is, that is what we have done,” Mr Zimmerman said.

Sources who remain supportive of Mr Zimmerman said the North Sydney MP did not say anyone abstained from the vote because of Mr Turnbull’s intervention.

Mr Zimmerman told the ABC on Monday: “Malcolm’s intervention meant that it did become an issue about the Prime Minister’s authority; I think Malcolm’s intervention made it hard for the executive to do anything other than they did”.

The Australian understands Mr Zimmerman does not intend to give up leading the faction and believes he has sufficient support.

Sources close to Mr Zimmerman confirmed he faced pressure to ask for centre-right powerbroker Alex Hawke to stand down from the executive in return for the preselection deal. But it was labelled a “ridiculous proposition”.