HUME MP Angus Taylor says he expects proper process to prevail, avoiding a potentially messy preselection for his seat.
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His Liberal Party colleague and member for Macarthur, Russell Matheson could nominate for Hume at the next election, The Australian reported last week.
Mr Matheson is said to have the backing of Wollondilly MP, Jai Rowell, considered a factional player who can sway outer Sydney branches against Mr Taylor in a preselection battle.
The speculation comes amid finalisation of Federal electoral boundaries, which slash Hume’s rural heartland to the west and shift if further north, taking in Camden.
The redistribution would cut Mr Matheson’s margin by more than eight per cent, sparking reports he’d nominate for Hume preselection.
The battle is pitting the party’s left and right factions but Mr Taylor is not buying in to the debate.
“I believe firmly in democracy and a democratic Liberal Party and that constituents should decide who represents them,” Mr Taylor told the Post.
“As long as our processes remain democratic, I’ll respect them. I think the party should and will apply those principles.”
Asked his course of action if this didn’t occur, Mr Taylor said he wasn’t a factional player.
“And I don’t think the people of Hume want a factional player representing them because they spend all their time thinking about factions and not their constituents. I’m proud not to be one.”
On Friday The Australian reported that Mr Taylor’s supporters were warning he could defect to the The Nationals if he lost preselection to Mr Matheson. It would spark a three-cornered contest for Hume and Coalition disharmony.
But the same day, Mr Taylor told the Post he had “absolutely no plans to defect to The Nats and never have.”
He did not know where the story emerged from and said he had never spoken to The Nationals about a switch.
Asked whether Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull should step in to resolve the factional play, Mr Taylor said he wouldn’t speculate.
“What’s critical is that we ensure the Liberals are not ruled by the factions...I see it as wasted time and energy that could be better spent making Australia a better place,” he said.
Mr Turnbull reportedly intervened over the past few days, telling his party he would not support factional power play against sitting members.
On Friday, Mr Taylor’s office issued a statement confirming the MP would nominate for Liberal Party preselection at the next election.
“It would be an honour to again have the opportunity to represent the people of Hume which I have done so since first being elected in September 2013.”
Earlier, he said while others could nominate for preselection, he stood on his record.
“I’ve worked hard over the past two years and I think we’re really kicking some goals,” he said.
“In this region we’ve achieved new phone towers, the NBN, $10 million for Goulburn’s wastewater treatment plant, $1m for a performing arts centre and much more.
“It’s a go ahead region and I stand on my record in supporting that aspiration in Goulburn.”
The Nationals NSW State director Nathan Quigley told the Post that neither Mr Taylor nor his representatives had approached his party about joining or running for Hume.
“I’m sure his preselection will be fine. Beyond that, there are so many ifs and variables, I don’t want to comment,” he said.
Mr Quigley conceded that while the Coalition agreement was up for re-negotiation, he did not expect a three-cornered contest at the next election.
“At the moment the expectation is that Angus will be the candidate...He is putting regional issues squarely on the agenda and the people of Hume are getting very good representation.”
