The High Court has cleared the path for Prime Minister Scott Morrison to call a federal election, after dismissing a legal challenge to preselections in his home state of New South Wales.
Bitter infighting following a federal takeover of the NSW Liberal Party's preselection of candidates has been before the courts, reaching the highest court in the land on Friday.
The challenge has meant uncertainty has surrounded when, and if, Mr Morrison could call an election for May amid ongoing legal challenges.
Former New South Wales Liberal party member Matthew Camenzuli wanted the High Court to grant special leave to challenge a recent court decision that the federal takeover of Liberal preselections in NSW was valid.
Mr Camenzuli went ahead with the High Court application even after he was expelled from the party.
On Friday, his lawyers told the court Mr Camenzuli wanted a declaration that the candidates chosen by the federal branch had not been properly endorsed.
"We say the NSW Court of Appeal took an unduly narrow approach to the dispute within the Liberal Party in New South Wales," Mr Camenzuli’s lawyer Scott Robertson told the court.
But the Prime Minister's lawyer, Guy Reynolds, told the court, that the appeal court's ruling was correct and the High Court did not need to consider the case.
In the end, Chief Justice Susan Kiefel and Justice Stephen Gageler found there was little prospect of success and rejected Mr Camenzuli's application for a hearing.
Mr Camenzuli was also ordered to pay costs in the case.
Liberal candidates now locked in
There has been open disagreement within the Liberal party since a federal takeover locked in candidates without allowing branch members a chance to vote in the preselections.
Mr Morrison has previously said he intervened to save "great women" in his team.
In doing so, he also locked in the preselection of close political ally, Cabinet minister Alex Hawke.
Environment Minister Sussan Ley on Friday morning told the ABC she complained to Mr Morrison about factional moves against her preselection.
She said she was worried about a large number of people being signed up to the Liberal Party in her regional New South Wales electorate of Farrer just before a preselection vote.
When will a federal election be called?
Speaking earlier on Friday, Mr Morrison insisted he would call an election "very soon" but refused to say when.
"Electoral terms go for three years," he said.
"The last election was held on the 18th of May and the next election will be held about the same time."
Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese urged Mr Morrison to call the election promptly, describing the waiting game as absurd.
Mr Morrison is expected to call an election for May 14 or May 21.
For a May 14 poll, he needs to call the election by Sunday.
