NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has attempted to brush aside turmoil within the Liberal Party as candidates jostle to fill a vacancy on the upper house ticket.
Retiring Transport Minister David Elliott has indicated he wants the spot, after upper house MP Peter Poulos was dumped from the ticket.
Mr Poulos was suspended from the party for six months on Saturday over sharing explicit photos of a female Liberal MP.
A separate complaint has also been made against him.
When the premier was asked on Sunday if he would support Mr Elliott's candidacy, he replied: "I would expect a number of people would put their hands up."
He added, however, that it was "ultimately a matter for the organisation".
Mr Elliott announced he was bowing out of politics last year after he didn't have enough support within the branches of his redistributed seat.
This spot could resurrect his political career — and he's confirmed that his ambitions for the job have been raised with the premier.
"As I've said all along ... if there was a pathway I'd come back. This may be a pathway," he said today.
The vacancy could also be a lifeline for Holsworthy MP Melanie Gibbons, who lost preselection in her seat.
Mr Poulos is a moderate, so the faction is looking to replace him from within its ranks.
Mr Elliott is from the centre-right faction, while Ms Gibbons is a moderate.
NSW Liberal Women's Council President Jacqui Munro is also eyeing the position, and has the backing of some powerful moderate powerbrokers including Matt Kean.
"I'll be doing everything I can to ensure that a woman fills that casual vacancy," Mr Kean said.
The Liberals appear to be moving quickly to fill the vacancy, with the moderates holding a phone hook-up on Sunday night.
Ms Munro emerged from that meeting as the preferred moderate candidate over Ms Gibbons.
The premier could also intervene with a captain's pick.
Other names of possible contenders include Shayne Mallard, who wasn't included on the original ticket so as to make way for more women, and former NSW Young Liberal President Deyi Wu.
Scott Yung who almost snatched the seat of Kogarah from now-Labor leader Chris Minns in 2019, but has decided against running in the seat again, is also being discussed as a possibility.
Mr Poulos' suspension on Saturday came a day after senior minister Damien Tudehope resigned from cabinet after it was revealed he had shares in a tolling company which controls most of Sydney's motorways.
But the premier has attempted to dismiss the turmoil within the government five weeks out from the election.
"It doesn't bother me. I am focused on delivering for the people of New South Wales and so is my team," he said.
"All organisations have their challenges."
On Friday, Labor lost its star candidate Terry Campese who was running in the Nationals-held seat of Monaro, which takes in Queanbeyan.
The former rugby league captain withdrew after pictures of him attending a sex-themed party, before he was a candidate, made it into the public arena.
It is a significant blow to Labor, as the seat of Monaro was seen as crucial for the party's path to victory.
Mr Campese is the fourth candidate Labor has lost this campaign.
