Liberals cave in to Kelly demand
THE NSW Liberal Party has re-endorsed conservative MP Craig Kelly, despite an extraordinary intervention from former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull.
Mr Kelly was facing a preselection challenge from moderates for the federal Sydney seat of Hughes and had threatened to throw the Government into further chaos by defecting to the crossbench.
But the Liberal Party’s NSW state executive yesterday confirmed Mr Kelly’s candidacy for the next election.
The executive also re-endorsed fellow Liberal MPs John Alexander, Jason Falinski and Lucy Wicks.
“This endorsement allows the federal MPs to focus on the critical tasks of serving their communities and campaigning to defeat Bill Shorten,” a NSW Liberal Party spokesman said.
Mr Turnbull had urged state executives not to yield to Mr Kelly’s threat to quit, saying giving in would be “the antithesis of good government”. He argued party members in the seat of Hughes should have their say.
“That is not the sort of threat to give in to. If that threat has been made, that is effectively blackmail,” the former prime minister said. He also called on Prime Minister Scott Morrison to call an early federal election to save NSW Liberal Premier Gladys Berejiklian from defeat in a state poll.
Mr Turnbull had planned to hold a March 2 federal poll, ahead of the NSW state election later that month.
“My view is that it would be manifestly in the best interests and prospects of the Morrison Government to go to the polls as soon as it can after the summer break,” he said.
Earlier, Mr Turnbull did not deny telling state executive members that Mr Morrison is “just trying to keep his a**e in
THAT IS NOT THE SORT OF THREAT TO GIVE IN TO. IF THAT THREAT HAS BEEN MADE, THAT IS EFFECTIVELY BLACKMAIL
MALCOLM TURNBULL
(prime ministerial limousine) C1”. “Plainly, the Prime Minister’s determination is to stay in government for as long as he possibly can,” he told ABC radio.
Former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce, who fell out with Mr Turnbull earlier this year after having an extramarital affair with an employee, pulled no punches.
“It’s really disappointing what Malcolm Turnbull’s done, he’s destroying his own legacy by his own hand,” he told Seven News. “We gave him loyalty, we backed him until the end, and now he’s just really 100 per cent committed to getting rid of the Coalition.”