Disgruntled NSW Liberals lay blame in wake of federal election loss

After preselection chaos, party is pointing fingers at the state executive, Alex Hawke, Scott Morrison - and Covid restrictions

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A wave of recriminations is sweeping through the NSW Liberal party over the division's performance and the delays in preselecting candidates for NSW federal seats that resulted in most being chosen only weeks before last month's federal election.

Blame is being levelled at the unwieldy, faction-riven state executive, at the former prime minister Scott Morrison and his captain's picks", and at his delegate on the state executive, Alex Hawke, who had been widely blamed for holding up preselections by failing to make himself available for months to vet candidates.