“A party person” who both supports multiculturalism and remains “committed to the fight to defend Western civilisation” — that’s how NSW Senator Andrew Bragg describes himself in a glossy campaign brochure aimed at fellow Liberals deciding his fate at a preselection on Saturday.
The preselection is shaping up to be “competitive”, Liberal sources have told Crikey. Bragg, a moderate, is seen as more at risk than his fellow incumbent and centre-right faction member Hollie Hughes, both of whom have renominated. Lowy Institute research fellow and conservative Jess Collins is seen as the strongest challenger.
Hughes, in her campaign brochure, brags of her anti-Voice to Parliament campaigning.
“Every Australian deserves equal opportunity without bias and is entitled to equality under the law, however, this does not mean equality of outcome,” she said.
“We should never compromise on [fair go principles] in a vain attempt to socially engineer a society in which we are all the same. Standing for equality — not equity — are true Liberal values.”
Both brochures are meant for Liberal eyes only and show the way the candidates pitch themselves to fellow party members with voting rights in the preselection. While both were leaked to Crikey, Bragg’s is actually publicly available online for anyone wishing to read it.
We also got our hands on Jess Collins’ brochure — the newcomer’s pitch is heavy on her academic credentials as a Pacific expert, and light on ideology.
“My passion is policy, and my driver is building a better Australia. And part of being a better Australia is being a leader in our region,” she says in the pamphlet.
Each candidate features endorsement from other Coalition figures in their campaign material: Bragg has endorsements from heavyweights including Peter Dutton, Simon Birmingham, Josh Frydenberg, Arthur Sinodinos and Jane Hume.
Hughes has endorsements from Dutton, Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, Michaelia Cash — and Sky News host Paul Murray, of all people.
“No sooks, no lefties! That’s our mate Hollie. As part of the Mancave crew, she never backs down from a fight and always tells it like it is. But it’s not all bluster and bark, she’s got big ideas and the total focus to get them done. We need people like Hollie. Not just in the national debate, but in the Parliament representing us,” Murray is quoted as saying.
Collins has endorsements from Angus Taylor, Joe Hockey and Michael McCormack.
Sources with insight into the factional numbers game told Crikey Hughes is likely to replicate her result in the 2018 preselection, when she took the top ticket spot with 199 votes out of a total of 497. Bragg got 157 votes in that race.
Crikey understands the moderate faction and the centre-right one — also known as the Alex Hawke faction — hashed out a preference deal months ago. The deal means whoever gets the most votes on Saturday will pass on the extra votes they don’t need to the runner-up. The candidate in third place likely won’t get into the Senate, because the Coalition reserves that spot for the Nationals. Still, conservatives are feeling cautiously optimistic.
“It’s a three-horse race, but it’s the number two spot that people will be fighting for,” a source in the conservative faction said.
“Nothing is a given, it’s anyone’s guess what will happen tomorrow. It’ll come down to a handful of votes.”
