Path cleared for election call as High Court rejects challenge to NSW Liberal preselections

The High Court has rejected a special leave application from a former Liberal Party member challenging federal intervention in the selection of NSW candidates.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison is seen speaking.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Source: AAP / Richard Wainwright

The High Court has rejected an application for special leave to challenge a Liberal Party intervention in NSW, clearing a potential hurdle for the prime minister to call an election.

The court ruled there were insufficient prospects of success for special leave sought by expelled NSW Liberal Party member Matthew Camenzuli.

Mr Camenzuli was seeking to challenge the prime minister's intervention in the NSW division of the party.
Mr Morrison, along with a panel including NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet and former party president Chris McDiven, overruled local Liberal branches to select candidates for several NSW seats.

Two of the candidates whose selection was challenged are ministers Sussan Ley and Alex Hawke, while the third is backbencher Trent Zimmerman.

The High Court returned the ruling within 10 minutes, upholding a decision of the NSW Court of Appeal earlier in the week which found they did not have the jurisdiction to intervene in a party dispute over the selection processes.

This was the final chance for Mr Camenzuli to overturn the candidates chosen by the prime minister before Australia heads to the polls.

His application was refused with costs, meaning he must pay the legal bills for both sides.

NSW Liberal president Philip Ruddock welcomed the decision. "It allows us to continue to focus on the re-election of the Morrison government," he said.

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Source: AAP

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Path cleared for election call as High Court rejects challenge to NSW Liberal preselections | SBS News