A venue for this formal selection process in sitting Liberal MP Alby Schultz’s stronghold is yet to be confirmed.

Party branches in Hume will choose their selectors on April 21. Nominations for Hume pre-selection have already closed.

If there’s a major upset, and the long-serving Mr Schultz loses party preselection for the next federal election, it is believed Sydney management consultant Angus Taylor would start favourite to replace him.

Mr Taylor, 44, who won a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford after obtaining degrees in Economics and Law at Sydney University, is from a Monaro grazing family.

He is a top class tri-athlete, married to Sydney barrister Louise Clegg, and they have four children. The family moved to Goulburn three months ago and say they intend to settle here permanently.

Mr Taylor is co-founder of the agriculture management group, Growth Farms Australia, which has $300 million in assets under management across NSW, including in the Goulburn and Boorowa areas within the Hume electorate.

In addition to Mr Taylor, it is believed three other hopefuls will line up for preselection against Mr Schultz in the all-male contest – two from Yass, one from the Southern Highlands.