Labor has finalised its candidates for several crucial seats ahead of May's federal election, as parties scramble to carry out preselection.
Andrew Charlton, a former adviser to Kevin Rudd, was nominated unopposed for the marginal seat of Parramatta in Sydney's west.
The nomination came despite criticism Labor had parachuted Mr Charlton into the electorate from Sydney's eastern suburbs at the expense of a candidate from the area.
Parramatta is currently held by Labor's Julie Owens, who is retiring at the election.
Meanwhile, shop assistants' union organiser Cassandra Fernando has replaced Labor's Anthony Byrne in the Victorian seat of Holt.
Mr Byrne is retiring from politics at the election, after being a whistleblower on branch stacking claims within Victorian Labor and admitting to his own misconduct.
Linda White and Jana Stewart were also endorsed by Labor as the party's Victorian Senate candidates.
The pair will replace the late Kimberley Kitching - who died from a suspected heart attack earlier this month - as well as Kim Carr, who announced he would retire from the upper house after nearly three decades in politics.
It comes as the federal executive of the Liberals are to intervene in preselections for several critical seats.
A committee made up of Prime Minister Scott Morrison, NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet and former federal Liberal president Christine McDiven will have control over the NSW branch until Saturday, April 2.
They must select candidates for the seats of Eden-Monaro, Fowler, Grayndler, Greenway, Hughes, McMahon, Newcastle, Parramatta and Warringah by that deadline, in preparation for an election to be called.
The election is expected to be called shortly after Tuesday's federal budget, with the poll slated to be held some time in May.
Meanwhile, South Australian senator Rex Patrick says he is concerned Centre Alliance colleague and former senator Nick Xenophon has left it too late to successfully return.
Almost five years after he resigned from the Senate amid uncertainty over whether he was a dual citizen, Mr Xenophon last week announced he will stand at the next federal election.
But Senator Patrick told ABC radio he had urged Mr Xenophon to announce his run before Christmas.
"He's entered the race now with his name below the line ... He's got very few volunteers and will likely have very little in the way of donations (and) that makes it really, really hard," he said.
He says if Mr Xenophon is not successful, the seat could be lost to One Nation.
In his own case, Senator Patrick says he has not yet decided whether to run again for the Senate or for the lower house seat of Grey.
"I've got to think long and hard about what I do to make sure I make the right decision - the best decision - for South Australia," he said.
