Locals send a message: stop the fighting and govern

Former Australian ambassador to Israel Dave Sharma emerges as the frontrunner to replace Malcolm Turnbull in Wentworth.

Lucy Turnbull with Dave Sharma.

Former Australian ambassador to Israel Dave Sharma is being touted as the frontrunner to replace Malcolm Turnbull as Liberal candidate for the seat of Wentworth.

Contacted yesterday about his ambitions to run for the seat in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, Mr Sharma told The Australian: “I wouldn’t think there was a ­vacancy yet. I wouldn’t feel right talking about it while the PM remains member for Wentworth.”

Mr Sharma, 43, is a long-standing senior public servant who was the head of the international division in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet from 2010 to 2012 and now works in government relations for Kelly and Partners Chartered Accountants.

He was the youngest person to be appointed an Australian ambassador when at 37 he became ambassador to Israel and would be the strong sort of candidate the party would desire in the seat.

Mr Sharma, who confirmed that he was a member of the Liberal Party, is of Indian heritage and was born in Vancouver, Canada, in 1975.

He began working for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in 1999 and has worked in Papua New Guinea for DFAT.

From 2004 to 2006, he served in parliament as the legal adviser to foreign affairs minister Alexander Downer and was then appointed to the Australian embassy in Washington from 2006 until 2009.

Mr Turnbull has held the seat since 2004, after a messy preselection battle to defeat the incumbent, Peter King, which saw Mr King serve briefly as an independent. The seat was held by former Liberal leader John Hewson from 1987 to 1995.

Mr Turnbull holds the seat by 17.5 per cent but it has previously been held by the Liberal Party with a margin as low as 5 per cent.

Wentworth voter Susie Grant described yesterday’s leadership turmoil as a dark day for Australia and a blemish on the nation’s reputation.

Ms Grant said she felt “very, very disappointed” by the events in Canberra.

“I think to unseat a sitting prime minister of this country again is absolutely appalling.

“It’s outrageous that politicians can’t hold their parties together and go forward to govern. That should be the primary goal for the country, not the political aspir­ations of individuals.”

Wentworth resident and Labor voter Geoffrey Blake agreed, describing recent leadership turmoil as “disgusting”.

The online business owner said out-of-touch politicians were contributing to a sense of malaise and disillusionment being felt across the Western world.

“This is happening worldwide,” Mr Blake said. “There is major discontent with career politicians — everyone is upset; they appear to just be out for themselves and the electorate is sick and tired of the same old rubbish.”

Paddington locals James Caica and Phoebe O’Sullivan shared the same sense of disappointment, saying politicians were “supposed to be working for the people but they’re just working for themselves”.