Support for government a given, says MP Craig Kelly

Liberal MP Craig Kelly has kept open his threat of quitting the government if he loses his preselection battle.

Liberal member for Hughes Craig Kelly wearing a Robert Menzies T-shirt.

Liberal MP Craig Kelly — who said he voted for both Malcolm Turnbull and Peter Dutton in the same August leadership ballot — has issued another about-face to keep open his threat of quitting the government if he loses his pre­selection battle.

After saying yesterday he would keep his “contract with the people of Hughes” and remain a Liberal MP until the election, he told The Australian he could still go to the crossbench in the likely event he lost preselection.

The NSW MP said he would keep his word to the people of Hughes, who voted for the Liberals, even if he quit the government because he would support the government on procedural motions and confidence and supply.

 

“That is voting as a Liberal supporter,” he said.

“Voting at all times with the Liberal Party in my election term.”

When asked if that could mean he could quit the government and support it on confidence and supply, he said: “You could interpret that way. That would not be inconsistent with the way I was elected. We have the right as Liberals to cross the floor. So if some piece of legislation came up that I really objected to, I would vote upon my conscience.”

Mr Kelly had earlier reiterated his claim to reporters at Parliament House that he would remain a Liberal MP if he was not preselected.

“I’ve got a contract with the electorate, you put your name on the ballot paper, you are basically entering into a contract for the ­period of the term of government to represent that party during that term of government,” he said.

Senior government sources said Mr Kelly had assured the leadership team he would remain on the government benches.

He arrived at parliament yesterday in a T-shirt honouring Sir Robert Menzies as a show of his commitment.

His preselection is supported by Scott Morrison, who said yesterday he was “not considering the option” of Mr Kelly quitting the government.