AFTER completely trashing the Liberal Party constitution prior to May’s federal election disaster, NSW factions are uniting to make it “legally” easier to install “captain’s picks”.
To avoid a re-run of one of the most disgraceful betrayals of Party members in modern Liberal history, factional heads believe the solution is to take more power for themselves – at the expense of grass-roots members.
- Liberal insider describes the factions’ collusion as a “shocking betrayal” of members – and a done deal.
- The two factions have been colluding since July to ensure Party members can no longer “interfere” in candidate pre-selections.
- Leftist presidential candidate Maria Kovacic is to receive support from both factions.
In a factional stitch-up, Alex Hawke’s centre-Right operatives are accused of joining with Matt Kean’s hard-Left infiltrators in an attempt to dominate NSW’s State Executive – and then increase the executive’s special powers.
According to a senior Liberal insider, the two factions have been colluding since July to ensure Party members can no longer “interfere” in candidate pre-selections.
POWERS
“In July there was a proposal put at the State Executive meeting that would reduce the special powers threshold from 90 per cent to 75 per cent of the executive vote,” the source said.
“The deal would allow the Hawke faction and [Kean’s Left] moderate faction to jointly use ‘special powers’ freely without the need to consult independents or conservatives on the State Executive.
“The proposal is apparently to be achieved by an exercise of ‘special power’ by State Executive and would have the effect of denying plebiscite pre-selections.”
The Liberal insider described the factions’ collusion as a “shocking betrayal” of members – and a done deal.
“The Moderate faction reports that a preference deal has indeed been struck between Alex Hawke’s centre -Right faction for this Saturday’s Annual General Meeting of State Council,” he said.
“The Hawke faction is to receive two vice-president positions – going to Sarah McMahon (Richards) and Lucy Wicks.
“The moderates are to receive, in return, the other two vice-president positions – going to James Wallace and Michelle Bishop.
FACTIONS
“Presidential candidate, Maria Kovacic, is to receive support from both factions.
“Ms Kovacic is known within the NSW Division for being installed as a ‘captain’s pick’ by Scott Morrison in Parramatta in the 2022 federal election.”
If successful, the move will severely disrupt efforts by grass-roots members to have a say in the future direction of the Liberal Party.
The presidential candidate apposing Ms Kovacic, Philip Argy, is a non-aligned Party member who has vowed to return the Party to the members.
Mr Argy, a Liberal branch president who is supported by former Prime Minister John Howard, has warned the Party had “jettisoned” its values.
“The Liberal Party has lost – if not jettisoned – its philosophical integrity,” he said in an email to Liberal Party State Council delegates last week.
BELIEVE
“We need to read – and re-read – the [Liberal Party] document What We Believe.
“I want more true Liberal policies and conviction candidates and members to evangelise them.
“Conviction politicians have credibility; those who swing in the breeze depending on their audience do not.” PC
Why does The Wilderness of opposition appeal so much to Matt Green and the other LINO left?
It will be fascinating to watch them wandering around asking if people know who they were.
“To avoid a repeat […]”
Sean, Sean, Sean: “repeat” is a verb; what they are allegedly trying to avoid is a *repetition*.
Anyway, this is a real QED moment: the Liberal party is not only beyond the pale and beyond belief, they are also apparently beyond redemption.