The powerful Liberal Right in NSW is in uproar over claims a pre selection process was rigged to help a sitting moderate Senator. The uproar came after a panel vetoed the liberals own state vice-president Scott Macdonald who wanted to challenge Marise Payne-a Senator since 1997. Division president Geoff Selig yesterday denied as "offensive" any suggestion selection had been fixed. Party sources said the issue had been Mr. Macdonald's access to sensitive preselection information at a state executive meeting that could have helped his bid. There were also suggestions of "abuse of process" and an attack on a belief in grassroots preselections.

One senior Liberal said "whether it's the Prime Minister or any other person, the Liberal Party has never before interfered in grassroots preselections. Mr. Macdonald was effectively blackballed by the nominations review committee, even though he had stood for the Upper House in the March State Elections. This meant he could not progress to the next step, a preselection ballot of  branches to pick Senate candidates for the election expected late in the year. Right-wing domination of the branches means it is almost certain Mr. Macdonald would have taken the safe second spot on the Liberal ticket, behind communications Minister Helen Coonan. Senator Payne would have been relegated from the second spot to a much less winnable possition.