Scott Morrison says the regrettable undermining and bullying of Liberal MP Ann Sudmalis by local party branch members was key to the decision to parachute in a high-profile candidate.
The prime minister went to Nowra on the NSW south coast on Wednesday to formally announce former Labor president Warren Mundine as the candidate for the Liberal-held marginal seat of Gilmore.
While the dumping of candidate Grant Schultz has led to him contesting the seat as an independent, and some local party members quitting the party, Mr Morrison said there was another side to the story.
Ms Sudmalis said in September last year her decision to retire had been made "in the face of NSW Liberal Party bullying, intimidation, leaking and undermining at a local level".
Mr Morrison said Mr Schultz had been asked to step aside following his preselection challenge against the sitting member but had refused to do so.
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"I am not going to reward behaviour that sought to undermine a sitting member of parliament," Mr Morrison told reporters.
"You don't get to bully your way into a seat in the Liberal Party."
Asked about his approach to Liberal members peeved with the decision to axe Mr Schultz, the prime minister said: "We're going to work with those people who are thinking about leaving or who have left, and bring them back into the fold."
Such a move was critical not only for the federal election but the NSW state poll due in March.
