Ousted minister Concetta Fierravanti-Wells attacks ‘faceless men’ pulling strings in Canberra

A Liberal senator has delivered a scathing assessment of Scott Morrison’s elevation to the nation’s top job.

Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells in Sydney. Picture: AAP

Liberal senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells has delivered a scathing assessment of Scott Morrison’s elevation to the nation’s top job, warning that it expands the power of the factional powerbrokers who opposed a push to make preselections in NSW more democratic.

The NSW senator stepped down from her position as minister for international development and the Pacific ahead of Friday’s leadership ballot, releasing a resignation letter savaging Malcolm Turnbull for driving the government “too far to the left”.

Senator Fierravanti-Wells, who missed out in Mr Morrison’s weekend reshuffle, yesterday urged the government to change direction to better differentiate the Liberals from Bill Shorten in the areas of energy policy and ­religious freedoms.

She also called the outcome of the Friday ballot a victory for the “faceless men” of the Liberal Party, a pointed reference to moderate powerbroker and lobbyist Michael Photios swinging in behind the Morrison leadership bid with the support of NSW Liberal MP Alex Hawke — the key centre-right numbers man behind the push who was rewarded with the position of special minister of state.

“The same faceless men — the lobbyists — who have been running the NSW division of the Liberal Party and who have been denying ordinary members a plebiscite vote, are now in control in Canberra,” Senator Fierravanti-Wells said. A push to throw open NSW preselections to local party members, championed by Tony Abbott, was defeated at the party’s annual general meeting in February in favour of a compromise under which the proposed “plebiscite” model for preselections would be delayed until after the next federal and state elections.

Senator Fierravanti-Wells said the frontbench overhaul unveiled by Mr Morrison was cosmetic, arguing the government’s key challenge was “ensuring changing the deck chairs leads to some substantial change in policy direction”.

She called for a proper debate on whether Australia should withdraw from the Paris climate change agreement and made clear her expectations for a robust ­response to the Ruddock review of religious freedoms.

“On the energy issue, there needs to be a clear distinction between us and the Labor Party, including considering ditching the Paris agreement and more coal-fired power,” she said.

“The other issue pertinent to our conservative base is strong ­religious freedom protections. We hope the Ruddock committee ­report will provide proper and ­appropriate protections.”