If Scott Morrison wanted to make the voters of Warringah reach for the garlic, quoting the former member they threw out in 2019 was quite the tactic.
‘’I don’t share Matt Kean’s view, I share Tony Abbott’s view,’’ Scott Morrison said as pressure mounted on the Liberal candidate in the Independent-held seat to step aside. Katherine Deves, who campaigns against transgender people competing in women’s sport, remains the Liberal candidate. NSW Treasurer Kean says Deves should quit, Abbott says she should resist the ‘’pile-on’’.
Independent Zali Steggall didn’t look like losing; now she could go on a skiing holiday until May 21 and beat the Liberals.
On the ABC’s Insiders the idea was put around that Morrison is willing to sacrifice the ‘’teal’’ seats where independents are running strong campaigns against moderate Liberals. The genius of the ploy is that more conservative Labor-held seats might be prised loose. There may be something in that.
Mark Sawyer is a journalist with extensive experience in print and digital media in Sydney, Melbourne and rural Australia.