The fate of three key federal government MPs remains in the balance after the New South Wales Liberal party again rejected their endorsements, while the federal executive has given the fractious state division a 10-day deadline to “rectify” its problems or face intervention.
On Thursday the state executive of the NSW Liberal party again rejected a proposal to endorse the preselection of federal ministers Sussan Ley and Alex Hawke, as well as key moderate Trent Zimmerman, amid an ongoing factional war within the party.
The proposal, which required the support of 90% of the 27-member executive to pass, was put forward despite having been previously rejected, and again raised suspicions of a looming federal intervention in NSW amid an increasingly bitter internal dispute over the nomination of candidates for key seats at the federal election.
After reports on Wednesday that the NSW division may soon become in breach of its constitution, the NSW division agreed on Thursday to request a limited federal intervention that would see the existing state executive reappointed.
But when the federal executive, led by the prime minister, Scott Morrison, met on Thursday night, it instead issued a warning to the state executive to endorse the three MPs by 28 February or face a wider takeover.
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Legal advice presented to a state division meeting on Wednesday said it would be in breach of its constitution if it continued to operate beyond the end of February without holding an annual general meeting.
The suggestion had been bitterly opposed by members of the party’s right faction, with the Liberal senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells warning party members that any bid to invite federal intervention was part of a “manufactured controversy” designed to install candidates against the will of members.
On Thursday the state executive came to a form of compromise, voting to allow the federal executive to intervene only to reappoint the existing state delegates until the end of March when it is scheduled to hold the annual meeting.
The wording of the motion, which passed by 18 votes to four, was specifically aimed at limiting the scope of intervention amid a growing suspicion among the moderate and right factions that the move is aimed at giving the federal body the power to install candidates.
The decision is likely to be fiercely contested by sections of the NSW division, particularly the party’s right faction, which has resisted the public pressure from Morrison to endorse the sitting MPs as the state party attempts to come to a compromise on a swathe of NSW preselections.
Figures within the NSW right have signalled they are willing to take the matter to the state’s supreme court if the federal branch does intervene.
The failure of the motion to re-endorse Ley, Hawke and Zimmerman comes amid frustration from the moderate and conservative factions that a compromise deal has not been presented to state executive for a vote.
This deal would give Morrison the pick of candidates in Dobell and Eden Monaro, allow plebiscites in the Senate, Bennelong and Parramatta, endorse sitting members and install Alex Dore into Hughes.
Although the deal was negotiated more than three weeks ago, it remains in limbo because the centre right and the moderate-controlled branches are concerned about Dore being parachuted into Hughes.
Party sources suggested that regardless of the outcome of Thursday’s ballot, federal intervention was now increasingly likely, with the state division also preparing for the likelihood of a supreme court challenge against such a move.
At Wednesday’s meeting, the right’s Matthew Camenzuli presented legal advice suggesting the federal takeover was unnecessary.
The ability of the federal executive to intervene may also be legally contestable, with an unwillingness of some members of the federal body to get involved.
In an email sent to members late on Wednesday, Senator Fierravanti-Wells, who is fighting for a ballot of members to go ahead which she believes would secure her senate position, said the move was “intended to advance the position of a handful of factional players”.
“There is a very small group within our party who want to deliver certain seats to their preferred candidates, trampling on the rights of the membership and thereby obstructing the constitution,” Fierravanti-Wells said in the letter.
“By failing/refusing to carry out their obligations these few people are creating such delay in NSW preselections that they can then mount an argument that the NSW division is dysfunctional and that plebiscite preselections be substituted with automatic endorsements. They create the dysfunction, and then use it as an excuse to get what they want.
“These few people are working hard to create a situation where preselection of candidates by plebiscite of members is destroyed. They are afraid that your opinion will be different from theirs, and their preferred candidate or even themselves, will not get endorsement.”
She singled out the prime minister’s representative on state executive, the immigration minister Alex Hawke, for failing to “carry out his party functions as a member of the nomination review committee in a timely manner.”
Hawke was contacted for comment.
