The Federal Minister for Families Mal Brough has strongly endorsed colleague Petro Georgiou who is fighting preselection for his Melbourne seat of Kooyong today.
One of the challengers is Joshua Frydenberg, a former advisor to the the Foreign Affairs minister Alexander Downer.
Mr Georgiou has been criticised by more conservative members of his party for his views on immigration policy and the detention of asylum seekers.
But Mr Brough says Mr Georgiou is one of the greatest intellects in parliament who is guided by a compassionate approach to policy-making.