Former Morrison government ministers Josh Frydenberg and Greg Hunt are backing rival candidates in the Liberals preselection battle for the seat of Aston, after the retirement of Alan Tudge.
Roshena Campbell, a barrister and City of Melbourne councillor, and Ranjana Srivastava, an oncologist who is also a columnist for Guardian Australia, formally nominated for preselection on Thursday.
It is understood Campbell has received references from former treasurer Frydenberg, and the Aston electorate conference secretary, Michael Gilmore.
Srivastava has received endorsements from former health minister Hunt and former Victorian premier Jeff Kennett.
Kennett, who also backed Srivastava in two previous state preselection tilts, described her as an “outstanding candidate”, who would bring first-hand experience of the healthcare system to the parliament if elected.
“We would be served well to have a person of that stature – regardless of gender, regardless of race, regardless of anything else – in the parliament, and I think it would be wonderful for the Liberal party to have such a qualified person in its ranks,” he said.
“I could even see the government asking her for opinions on issues to do with health and cancers, as should be the case. If you have a diverse parliament, we’re all served better for that.”
While Frydenberg and Hunt are backing different candidates, Guardian Australia understands it is amicable between the two former ministers.
In a statement, Campbell said she was humbled by the support from local Aston members who encouraged her to nominate.
“I joined the Liberal party almost two decades ago because I proudly believe in our values and have always championed them,” she said.
“I believe the residents of Aston deserve a representative in Canberra who will make the case to ease the cost-of-living pressures facing so many families in the seat and deliver the infrastructure the community needs.”
Campbell does not live in the electorate – a fact raised by her detractors – but said if she was successful, she would move into it.
Srivastava has spruiked her connection to the electorate, having served cancer patients in Aston and surrounding communities for 25 years.
“Australian-born and having returned alone to study in Australia at age 17, my education changed my life,” she said. “Now, I hope to repay the debt in another way through parliamentary service where I will advocate for better health, education and quality of life.
“I welcome the Liberal party’s resolve to include more professional women into our ranks in line with community expectations. I am humbled by the encouragement from senior party figures and grassroots members to seek preselection in Aston.”
Cathrine Burnett-Wake, a migration agent and former state upper house MP, has also announced she will contest the preselection. She represented the Eastern Victoria Region for about a year before she was ousted at preselection.
Tudge announced his retirement last week, just nine months after he retained the seat despite a 7.3% swing to Labor at the 2022 election, reducing his margin to 2.8%.
The byelection is considered a crucial early test for the Liberals – after the party’s election review called on it to boost women’s participation. Its federal leader, Peter Dutton, claimed in January that the opposition was at a “low watermark” in Victoria.
Dutton is considered an unpopular figure in Victoria by Liberal and Labor strategists.
Labor will attempt to capitalise on this during the campaign, with its candidate from the last federal election, Mary Doyle, expected to run again.
Nominations for potential Labor candidates for the seat closed at 4pm on Thursday and Guardian Australia understands that Doyle, a mother of three, former union organiser and breast cancer survivor, was the only nominee.
No date has been set for the byelection.
Timing may determine whether the Liberals candidate is selected through an open preselection or if the state administrative committee will handpick a candidate due to a short lead-in time.
