Scott Morrison has moved to impose a formal complaints handling process on the Liberal party organisation following the bullying allegations that surfaced during the poisonous federal leadership battle, and subsequent controversy with preselection fights in New South Wales.
Morrison confirmed in a statement on Monday he had requested the federal executive of the Liberal party “consider how they will take steps to ensure there is a rigorous and confidential process to deal with concerns and complaints from party members, including members of parliament”.
The move was welcomed by the minister for women, Kelly O’Dwyer, who publicly validated the bullying complaints during the leadership fracas, and has pushed for a dispute resolution mechanism – although she stressed the new process would need to be “independent” as well as confidential and rigorous.
Another Liberal woman, Ann Sudmalis, confirmed on Monday she would not stand again at the next federal election. Sudmalis, who represents the ultra-marginal seat of Gilmore, said she wouldn’t defend the seat, attributing her decision to a campaign of undermining in the state division that had culminated in the rolling of her federal electoral conference.
Sudmalis was at pains to say her decision had nothing to do with Morrison, who was a “man of integrity” and a “friend”, but the departure is difficult for the prime minister, and it follows the announcement of fellow marginal seat-holder Julia Banks that she would end her parliamentary career at the next federal election.
Morrison on Monday validated Sudmalis’ complaints about bad behaviour in the NSW division, saying the MP had raised a number of “genuine concerns” regarding her treatment in her local federal electoral conference.
The prime minister said her testimony added to complaints he had fielded from other MPs “about processes in the party’s organisational wing” – although he absolved the parliamentary wing of improper conduct.
Sudmalis said on Monday she had been undermined by a “self-determined” senior Liberal since her preselection in 2012, with leaks to the media and “publicity stunts”. The MP also claimed she had “little or no” support from the state division while waiting for the current preselection round to be determined.
The uproar reflects poisonous internal dynamics within the NSW division, which are also on display in a separate controversy about Tony Abbott’s preselection. Abbott was re-endorsed as the candidate for the Sydney northern beaches seat of Warringah after a combative branch meeting on Friday night.
In the fallout, Liberals briefed that Abbott secured 46 yes votes and 38 against, and a number of informal votes – underscoring the fact the former prime minister had recorded a strong local protest vote.
Guardian Australia understands complaints were made to the state division about the conduct of Friday night’s preselection meeting, which one insider equated to an episode of Fawlty Towers. The division on Monday released the results, saying Abbott recorded 68 yes votes, 30 no votes, and two informal votes.
Abbott was out of the parliament on Monday on emergency services leave.
Another bare-knuckle fight looms, with moderates moving against the outspoken conservative Craig Kelly in his Sydney seat of Hughes. There is no date for that preselection yet, and conservatives have warned of adverse consequences in the event Kelly is rolled, which is problematic, given the government’s wafer-thin margin in the House of Representatives.
The continued roiling comes as the government was forced to defend its record in aged care after calling a royal commission over the weekend in advance of a damning Four Corners investigation due to screen on Monday night.
The new aged care probe dominated question time on Monday. Labor pursued questions about why Morrison cut $1.2bn in aged care funding in his first budget as treasurer, and the prime minister countered by saying Labor had pursued similar efficiencies during its time in government.
Kate Carnell, the independent reviewer of aged care audit procedures and a former ACT chief minister, also told Guardian Australia on Monday the royal commission must not delay necessary reforms in the sector.
She said the government needed to press ahead as soon as possible with a number of reforms stemming from a review she spearheaded in 2017 that reported to the government last October.
