Premier Will Hodgman stands by Liberal state director amid Jessica Whelan scandal

Premier Will Hodgman says he still has faith in the Liberal state director despite the party’s failure to discover Jessica Whelan had previously made Islamophobic posts on social media.

Premier Will Hodgman said the party’s executive was unaware of Jessica Whelan’s anti-islamic comments on social media. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

PREMIER Will Hodgman says he still has faith in Liberal state director Sam McQuestin despite the party’s failure to discover disendorsed Lyons candidate Jessica Whelan had previously made Islamophobic posts on social media.

The Liberals have now been forced to publicly urge voters in the largely rural electorate of Lyons to vote for Nationals candidate Deanna Hutchinson — and deputy Nationals leader Bridget McKenzie has called on the Liberals to support Ms Hutchinson’s campaign.

Mr Hodgman on Friday said a Nationals win in Lyons “would be, obviously, our first preference” but that the question of pouring Liberal resources into the Nationals’ campaign was “a matter for the (state) Division”.

Lyons, held by Labor MP Brian Mitchell on a margin of 3.8 per cent, had been considered winnable by the Liberals.

But the party’s attention may now focus more heavily on Bass and Braddon, where Bridget Archer and Gavin Pearce are favoured by bookies to defeat Labor incumbents.

Senator McKenzie, who spent Friday campaigning alongside her Nationals colleagues at Agfest, was diplomatic when asked whether the Liberals had damaged the Coalition cause over their failure to discover Ms Whelan’s posts during background checks.

“I don’t think anybody can actually point the finger in this,” she said, noting the Nationals’ own recent problems with constitutional eligibility and dual citizenship.

Deputy Nationals leader Bridget McKenzie (centre) at Agfest with Bass candidate Carl Cooper, Braddon candidate Sally Milbourne, Lyons candidate Deanna Hutchinson and Senator Steve Martin. Picture: CHRIS KIDD

Lyons was described as a “traditional Nationals seat” by Agriculture Minister David Littleproud in March, when he announced Ms Hutchinson as the party’s candidate, and Senator McKenzie said the Coalition should back her campaign.

“We hope that the Liberal Party — as I’ve been travelling around the country campaigning for Liberal Party candidates, campaigning for National Party candidates, campaigning for CLP candidates in the Northern Territory, all to see the Morrison government re-elected — I would be expecting that those who want to see Scott Morrison retain the prime ministership will be backing the only endorsed Coalition candidate in the seat of Lyons and that’s Deanna Hutchinson,” she said.

Ms Whelan’s resignation came the morning after she toured Agfest with Prime Minister Scott Morrison, although the PM did not stop to talk to his candidate and she was bundled into a waiting car without answering questions from the media.

Jessica Whelan was rushed to a waiting car to avoid questions from the travelling media at Agfest on Thursday. Picture: GARY RAMAGE

Mr Hodgman would not be drawn into commenting on whether Ms Whelan should have admitted to making the Islamophobic posts sooner.

“(The party executive) said they didn’t (know) and I accept that and I’m sure if they had I don’t believe Jessica Whelan would’ve been endorsed in the first place,” he said.

Mr McQuestin has been contacted for comment.