FORMER prime minister John Howard has written a letter of support for David Elliot who is standing for Liberal preselection for the state seat of Baulkham Hills.
The letter to NSW Liberal Party state director Mark Neeham"strongly” recommends Mr Elliot, of Kellyville, saying he had many qualities equipping him to be “a most effective member of the NSW Parliament”.
The letter, which has been posted to all 98 preselectors, will be a blow for the two other candidates in the race for preselection for Baulkham Hills, Hills Shire councillor Mike Thomas and solicitor Damien Tudehope.
There has been a bitter battle to shore up support at local Liberal branches following the announcement by sitting Baulkham Hills MP Wayne Merton that he would be retiring at the March election after 22 years.
Virtually half the 98 selectors will be chosen from the branches that make up the Baulkham Hills Liberal conference.
The rest will come from the state executive and head office.
Mr Elliot has the support of Mitchell Federal Liberal MP Alex Hawke.
Mr Tudehope and Mr Thomas are said to be aligned with Liberal right faction of NSW Upper House MP David Clarke.
There have been claims of branch stacking at several branches, particularly at the large Baulkham Hills branch and the Baulkham Hills Young Liberals branch.
It has become a hot issue because only members of more than six months can be considered as pre-selectors.
Feelings boiled over in September last year and Castle Hill police were called to Alex Hawke’s Castle Hill electoral office following a dispute with new members trying to attend a Young Liberal’s branch meeting.
The NSW Liberal Party’s Disputes Panel has now ruled that 20 new memberships are invalid. The Young Liberals are entitled to 12 preselectors.
The preselection may take place mid September, once counting in the Federal Election has been completed.
Source: whereilive
0 comments:
Post a Comment