Concerns are mounting amongst the Liberal
faithful in Sydney’s northern beaches about finding a successor to John Brogden. They’re
worried at what might happen if the state executive imposes an outside
candidate in a parochial area – if it might flush out a Nat Young style
independent with the potential to embarrass new leader Peter Debnam in his
first real by-election test.

This little email doing the rounds of the locals
has made its way to Crikey:

FACELESS MEN OF LIBERAL PARTY USING
PITTWATER

So the faceless men of the Liberal party
are at it again. Only weeks after the messy backroom machinations associated
with the elevation of Peter Debnam to replace John Brogden as Opposition leader
in NSW, they want to impose a non-local into Pittwater.

If they bothered to speak to locals they
would discover that they are in for a hiding. Pittwater is more parochial now
than ever before and high profile locals have warned the Liberal Party that if
they do not choose a local there will be a bun fight.

If the factional hacks impose former
Minister Robert Webster or Ryde candidate Paul Nicolau on the area just watch
the storm. Former Mayor Trish Giles already plans to stand as an independent
and will poll very well as she is well liked here and respected. Former Mayor
Robert Dunn stood against Bronwyn Bishop last Federal election and polled well
in our Pittwater booths.

History shows that the liberals almost lost
the seat in 1986 when Nat Young stood against Jim Longley in a by-election. And
John Brogden just avoided going to preferences in 1996.

The voters of Pittwater have shown that
they do not like being used to further the careers of Party careerists.
Arrogance in politics has no bounds and if the Liberals make this mistake and
lose Pittwater to an Independent they will long regret it.