Wentworth by-election: Morrison wants a woman to save him

The Prime Minister is said to have told party powerbrokers a female candidate is his best chance in the seat.

Kerryn Phelps is yet to decide whether she will run as an independent for the seat of Wentworth. Picture: Chris Pavlich

Scott Morrison wants a woman — most likely former Woollahra deputy mayor Katherine O’Regan — to win this week’s Liberal pre­selection for the Wentworth by-election because he fears three female independents may run for the seat on the platform that the Liberal Party mistreats women.

The Prime Minister, according to sources close to him, has told party powerbrokers a female candidate is his best chance in the seat ahead of tomorrow night’s Liberal preselection to replace Malcolm Turnbull.

Mr Morrison’s pitch comes with the government under fire after alleged bullying of the member for Chisholm, Julia Banks, during the leadership spill last month and amid continued discussion the Liberal Party needs to do more to get women into parliament.

Liberal research has shown that a woman candidate would be beneficial for the seat, as has research commissioned by former preselection frontrunner Andrew Bragg, who pulled out of the race in exchange for a Senate spot on Monday.

Mr Bragg’s polling found he would get 39 per cent primary vote in the by-election while a woman would receive 43 per cent.

“Three female independents are (expected to be) running and they will all be saying the Liberal Party doesn’t treat women well,” one Liberal source said.

“It’s going to be a tight election; his (the PM’s) view is ‘Why don’t we run a woman?’ ”

Moderates powerbrokers Matt Kean and Trent Zimmerman are believed to have lobbied hard for Mr Morrison to support Dave Sharma, the former Australian ambassador to Israel, who is still in the race but is hamstrung by the fact that he does not live in the electorate.

Mr Kean and Mr Zimmerman are believed to have enlisted other federal MPs to lobby Mr Morrison for Mr Sharma, saying polling showed the electorate wanted a ­future minister and prime ­minister.

Liberal powerbroker Michael Photios and former Waverley mayor Sally Betts, who carries numbers in the area, are believed to be backing Ms O’Regan.

Another female preselection candidate with a chance is Woollahra councillor Mary-Lou Jarvis.

City of Sydney councillor Kerryn Phelps is expected to run for the seat as an independent and announce her candidature after the preselection contest. Yesterday she was still not confirming whether she would run.

The Liberals expect two other female independents to run.

A by-election, which will decide if Mr Morrison retains the government’s one-seat majority, is expected as early as October 20.

Mr Turnbull won in 2016 with a primary vote of 62 per cent.

Internal and public polling has shown the Coalition vote in the seat as between 39 and 42 per cent. The Bragg polling had Dr Phelps on 20 per cent and Labor on 25, suggesting preferences could help Dr Phelps come close to an upset.

Electors in Wentworth yesterday received in their mailboxes a farewell letter from Mr Turnbull in which he boasts about his achievements but does not mention Mr Morrison or any support for the Liberals in the by-election.