Peter Dutton's allies have been urged to hold fire after suggestions the federal Liberal leader is considering a takeover of the beleaguered NSW Liberal Party.
The federal opposition leader is reported to be "dead serious" about intervening in the state branch, which after years of political infighting last week failed to enter 140-odd candidates in statewide local elections.
But Mr Dutton's state counterpart on Monday said stepping in now was too early.
"It's premature at the moment," NSW Liberal leader Mark Speakman told reporters, addressing the Daily Telegraph report.
"I do support investigating very thoroughly ... this campaign capacity.
"I completely understand why our colleagues want to ensure that."
The state party has been in crisis since Wednesday when it failed to enter dozens of local candidates, including sitting councillors, due to apparent mismanagement in party headquarters.
The party's director Richard Shields was sacked over the stuff-up.
Mr Speakman pushed back on a veiled suggestion by Mr Dutton and explicit calls from some quarters that state president Don Harwin ought to follow Mr Shields out the door.
Responsibility for the failure lay at the feet of the director, not the president despite Mr Harwin's likely heavy involvement in "backroom negotiations and machinations" and the late endorsements of some candidates.
"Some of the candidates who have missed out (were selected) many weeks prior to this operational failure," Mr Speakman said.
The state party was on Monday promising to leave no stone unturned to get candidates onto the September 14 ballots as it considered last-ditch legal action against the NSW Electoral Commission.
More than four million people are expected to vote for more than 1000 councillors in the statewide elections.
The commission on Sunday said reopening nominations was not appropriate and would have very serious ramifications for the conduct of the elections.
It was not "a realistic possibility" Liberal party officials were unaware of Wednesday's deadline, the commissioner said.
Meanwhile, Premier Chris Minns knocked back calls to step in as the Labor leader underlined the independence of the commission.
"I don't think it's good to have major political parties adjudicating or making decisions about elections," he told reporters.
"I think that does undermine democracy."
