Andrew Constance says he pulled out of contesting the Eden-Monaro by-election for the Liberals because he had not signed up to be smeared in a federal contest.
Constance shocked colleagues by pulling out of the contest in the ultra-marginal seat the day after he’d pledge to run. The New South Wales transport minister confirmed his intentions in a statement, which acknowledged his about-face would confound people. “I appreciate people will be confused by my actions over the past couple of days, and for that I am sorry.”
He then told reporters he’d pulled out after reading a front page story in the Daily Telegraph, where his colleague John Barilaro, who also had designs on the seat, had reportedly called him a “cunt” in private conversations.
“When I said politics is stuffed in this country, and some of the people in it need to have a long hard look, I meant it,” Constance said Wednesday. “We’re now seeing that in such a great way on the front page of the Telegraph. I mean, stuff that. I mean, like, seriously. I hadn’t signed up to, you know, contest federally to be called that type of smear”.
The bombshell withdrawal blindsided federal Liberals, who had championed his candidacy because of the positive profile he gained during the summer of catastrophic bushfires. Constance said he would remain in the NSW parliament “focused on the bushfire recovery” and he was “grateful for the opportunities I already have.”
Liberals in Canberra wanted Constance to contest the seat, believing he would neutralise negative perceptions in the electorate of Scott Morrison’s handling of the bushfire emergency. His withdrawal throws the Coalition’s efforts to take Eden-Monaro from Labor into disarray.
The Liberals had hoped to gain the seat with a compelling “local champion” candidate, because Mike Kelly, the current Labor member, had a loyal personal following in the Bega Valley. The Coalition federally has been tracking better with voters in recent months because it is perceived to have handled the coronavirus crisis competently.
Constance threw his hat in the ring on Tuesday after Barilaro, the NSW deputy premier and Nationals leader, made an acrimonious exit from the contest. After the National withdrew from contention, Sky News reported text messages Barilaro sent to the federal Nationals leader Michael McCormack, reproaching him for failing to back his candidacy.
According to the Sky report, Barilaro texted McCormack on Monday, saying: “Your lack of public enthusiasm or support for my candidacy went a long way to my final decision. Don’t hide behind the members will choose the candidate rubbish, as you were the only one saying such lines.
“To feel threatened by me clearly shows you have failed your team and failed as a leader. You will never be acknowledged by me as our leader. You aren’t. You never will be.
“The Nats had a chance to create history, to change momentum, and you had a candidate that was prepared to risk everything to make it happen. What did you risk? Nothing. Hope you are proud of yourself.”
Sky News reported on Wednesday Barilaro would not re-enter the race. Guardian Australia has yet to confirm his intentions.
Breaking:@JohnBarilaroMP says he will not be rethinking seeking preselection for Eden-Monaro
— Laura Jayes (@ljayes) May 6, 2020
“My reasons remain the same. I can’t do it”
Adding “the well has been poisoned”@SkyNewsAust @aclennell @AndrewConstance
Federal National minister David Littleproud told Sky News “we would love to have him” in the party room in Canberra. Littleproud said: “When you come to Canberra you expect a couple of upper cuts, you shake it off then have a beer and move on and I think that’s what will happen with Barra”.
The federal Liberal senator Jim Molan, who was also potentially the hunt for the seat, said he did not intend to run. Molan said in a statement: “It is my belief that the most important contribution I can make to the Morrison government, and to serve the people of New South Wales who supported me so strongly, is to continue to engage on national security and sovereignty issues in the Senate”.
Some Liberals say it is possible Constance withdrew because he could have faced difficulties getting preselected for the seat despite having wide backing to run.
Fiona Kotvojs, a conservative who ran in Eden-Monaro at the last federal election, is understood to want to contest the byelection, and she won a local preselection in the seat for the last election. Kotvojs only just fell short in a contest against Kelly.
Conservatives say Constance would have a clear run at the neighbouring federal seat of Gilmore because moderates control the local branch, but may have struggled in a local plebiscite with Kotvojs in the field.
Kotvojs is now expected to run.
Labor’s national executive has installed Kristy McBain, the Bega Valley shire mayor, as its candidate for the contest. A date for the byelection has not been set.
The Labor leader Anthony Albanese plans to campaign with McBain on Thursday. Labor holds the seat on a 0.9% margin.
