MOREE disability support advocate Hollie Hughes has taken out the top spot on the Liberal’s NSW Senate ticket, beating out incumbent senator and retired army major-general Jim Molan.
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Ms Hughes said she was “humbled” to have been chosen by her party members over the weekend to lead the NSW Coalition ticket in the upcoming federal election.
“As a passionate advocate for our regions, I will be working to ensure we do much better in supporting our rural communities living through this horrific drought,” Ms Hughes said.
“As a mother of a child with special needs, I will be working every day to ensure that the NDIS is the best it can be supporting, supporting the families who need it most.
“A huge thank you to everyone who gave up their weekend and to all those who have supported me over many years now. I am incredibly grateful to all and I won’t let you down.”
It’s the second time Ms Hughes has been voted ahead of a sitting senator. In 2016, she beat out then International Development Minister Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, however gave up her spot to allow Ms Fierravanti-Wells to be re-elected.
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In 2017, Ms Hughes was set to replace former Nationals senator Fiona Nash, after she was ruled ineligible due to her dual citizenship.
Ms Hughes was ruled out due to her own constitutional concerns, as she held an “office of profit under the Crown” in her role on the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, which then paved the way for Senator Molan.
Ms Hughes was pre-selected with 199 votes from members in Saturday’s contest, while a former acting federal director of the Liberal Party Andrew Bragg secured 157.
Senator Molan came in at third with 141, however will be bumped down to fourth on the combined NSW Coalition ticket, with Nationals’ candidate Perin Davey to sit at third.
Abbott shocked by NSW Liberal ticket result
Former prime minister Tony Abbott says it is “absolutely nauseating” his Liberal colleague Jim Molan has missed out on a safe Senate spot at the next election.
Mr Abbott derided a “factional power play” at the weekend, which saw Hollie Hughes and Andrew Bragg placed ahead of Senator Molan on the Liberal Party's NSW Senate ticket.
Mr Abbott told 2GB radio on Monday he was “a little bit bamboozled” as to how Senator Molan, a former major general in the Australian Army, was relegated to an unwinnable spot.
Jamieson Murphy
Newcastle Herald news director. Interested in any and all yarns. Whisper g'day mate to me at jamieson.murphy@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Newcastle Herald news director. Interested in any and all yarns. Whisper g'day mate to me at jamieson.murphy@austcommunitymedia.com.au
