Federal election 2022: Liberal Party names all NSW candidates

The federal Liberal Party has released the final list of candidates for all the remaining NSW seats as speculation increases about the election being called soon.

The NSW Liberal Party’s preselection mess is closer to resolution after a committee appointed by the federal executive met and picked people to run in the last nine seats without candidates.

But the Party will have to wait until Monday to find out if the decision will stand when the NSW Court of Appeal hands down its decision on a court challenge to an earlier federal intervention which last month re-endorsed Alex Hawke, in Mitchell, the Environment Minister Sussan Ley in Farrer, and North Sydney MP, Trent Zimmerman.

The committee made up of Scott Morrison, NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet, and former federal party president Chris McDiven was tasked with choosing candidates by the federal executive after the NSW division was unable to agree on who should run.

If the court rules in the party’s favour on Monday, Jenny Ware, who was backed by the party’s moderate faction will replace Craig Kelly as the Liberal candidate in Hughes, while the Right’s Katherine Deves has been picked for Warringah.

Franchise Council of Australia director Maria Kovacic in Parramatta Director of Government and Public Relations for the Pharmacy Guild, Jerry Nockles will stand in Eden-Monaro.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet was part of the committee selecting the candidates. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Flavio Brancaleone

The remaining candidates picked were Courtney Nguyen in Fowler, Wenjie Zhang in Grayndler, Pradeep Pathi in Greenway, Vivek Singha in McMahon and Katrina Wark in Newcastle.

Holsworthy MP Melanie Gibbons, who had been hoping to become the candidate for the federal seat of Hughes, said she accepted the decision.

Melanie Gibbons was not chosen for the seat of Hughes. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Damian Shaw

The left faction had been split between Gibbons and Ware with talk Mr Morrison was pushing for a war veteran family advocate Gwen Cherne to run. Moderate Alex Dore had also been in the race, with sources close to the management consultant declaring Liberal representatives had been telling him he had the support of the prime minister.

With the NSW government facing its own election in March next year, Ms Gibbons — whose supporters claim would have won a preselection —said she understood the need for continuity.

“Whilst I was looking forward to making a difference at the federal level, I appreciate the importance of certainty and continuity at the state level and I’m focused on continuing to deliver for my area with a strong Perrottet government,” she said.

“This is an occasion where personal ambition needed to take a back seat to do what’s best for our state.”

Originally published as Federal election 2022: Liberal Party names all NSW candidates