A senior Liberal party source has confirmed speculation that Gilmore MP Ann Sudmalis will be challenged for her seat at preselection before the next election.
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“Of course she’s going to be challenged, and of course there’s going to be a preselection,” the source said.
“It’s a good thing.”
Liberal Party member Grant Schultz from Milton, the son of prominent Howard government MP Alby Schultz, was named as the likely challenger this week.
“His foray into the FIX IT NOW campaign [Fairfax Media’s Princes Highway funding campaign] isn’t just about roads, it’s about building his profile,” the Liberal party source said.
“He hasn’t had the benefit of being on local council or working for an MP, he needs a platform.”
Mr Schultz declined to comment on internal party matters. Ms Sudmalis told Fairfax Media she would nominate for preselection, “which is the democratic process of the Liberal Party”.
The two-term MP holds one of the country’s most marginal seats. Ms Sudmalis narrowly defeated Labor’s Fiona Phillips at the 2016 election and holds the seat with a 0.73 per cent margin.
The NSW Liberals opened preselection for the looming federal election on Monday.
Ms Phillips, who was preselected by Labor in March last year, said: “I really don’t mind who the candidate is”.
“The Liberal government ... they’ve really failed,” she said. “It doesn’t matter who it is in the Liberals, they’re giving an $11.2 billion tax handout to the big banks and our hospitals are missing out.
“I think it just shows that they are focused on themselves and they’re not focused on the issues. Record levels of youth unemployment in Gilmore, bed block at Shoalhaven Hospital, $1.7 million cut from hospitals funding and they’re worried about their own issues.”
