Mr Dore does not live in Hughes,and the push to impose him on local branches is being fiercely opposed.
Ms Gibbons announced her plans to run for preselection in the federal south-western Sydney seat late last year but delayed resigning from her state seat as an insurance policy should she be unsuccessful at a federal tilt.
However,Ms Gibbons has told several colleagues that she is so disillusioned by the internal war engulfing the party,including plans to install Mr Dore,that she is likely to leave politics this year if she is not preselected.
The Premier would be desperate to avoid another byelectionafter last weekend’s bruising results,in which the Liberals lost Bega and suffered an almost 20 per cent swing against them in Ms Berejiklian’s former seat of Willoughby.
The government slipped further into minority with the loss of Bega,prompting Mr Perrottet to last week seek a formal meeting with key independents Alex Greenwich and Greg Piper to ensure confidence and supply.
Ms Gibbons was contacted but would not comment,citing Liberal Party rules.
As the impasse over preselections continues,senior party members are outraged that Warringah is losing valuable time without a candidate in the wake of Ms Steggall’s donations scandal and believe Ms Buncle would have a strong chance in the seat,formerly held by Tony Abbott.
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However,one Liberal with knowledge of the discussions said the plan to entice Ms Buncle to run is not without problems because it would require her to be installed as the candidate without going through a preselection process. Ms Buncle was contacted for comment.
Lawyer and former wine executive Katherine Deves is also eager to nominate for Warringah,however she would need to be given a special exemption because she has not been a party member for the required six months.
That leaves defence analyst and right-faction candidate Lincoln Parker as the only candidate to have nominated for Warringah after Ms Buncle’s withdrawal.
Parramatta in western Sydney,Dobell on the central coast and Eden-Monaro in the south of the state are also without candidates. Several party sources said NSW transport minister David Elliott was being urged to consider running in Parramatta. Mr Elliott did not return calls. He has previously ruled out contesting Greenway.
Holsworthy is a marginal seat on just 3.3 per cent. While it is on NSW Labor’s target list,and the party would be expected to contest the seat in a byelection,a senior Labor source said it would be difficult for the ALP to win.
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