Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet have both conceded the NSW Liberal preselection saga was “less than ideal”.
Mr Morrison and his close factional ally Alex Hawke alongside Mr Perrottet won a NSW Court of Appeal case brought forward by Liberal state executive Matthew Camenzuli on Tuesday.
The outcome has allowed the Prime Minister’s “captain’s pick” candidates in 13 seats to remain.
Cabinet ministers Mr Hawke and Sussan Ley were saved from preselection ballots along with North Sydney MP Trent Zimmerman.
With the case settled, Mr Morrison is expected to call a May election within days.
Mr Perrottet described the saga as an “absolute debacle” and an “abject failing”.
Mr Morrison told ABC’s 7.30 on Tuesday that it was a win for women of the state Liberal branch, including Ms Ley, because the environment minister was “under threat from factions”.
“I’m asked all the time why won’t the Prime Minister do more about getting good women in parliament and stand up for (them). I stood up for them,” Mr Morrison said.
Mr Frydenberg, who is the deputy Liberal leader but hails from Victoria, said the ongoing saga posed some problems.
“It has been less than ideal,” Mr Frydenberg told ABC News on Wednesday.
“I’m glad that it’s heading to its conclusion and that we’ve secured candidates for these seats … to contest the election.
“These are seats that not only do we need to hold, but seats that we can actually win off the Labor Party.”
Mr Frydenberg asserted Mr Morrison had done the right thing by protecting Ms Ley and Liberal women.
“She’s an outstanding member of our team doing a great job, and of the new people that have been chosen for the various seats half are women,” he said.
“That’s a welcome development.”
Mr Morrison’s treatment of women, and his role in the state Liberal party has come under fire after outgoing NSW state MP Catherine Cusak and conservative senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells slammed the Prime Minister for denying grassroots members a say and branded him a bully.
“What is the precedent that is being set when a ‘captain’s pick’ can be foisted on our division by the federal executive?” Senator Fierravanti-Wells said.
Ms Cusak said Mr Morrison had “trashed” the party’s values over 20 years – first as state director, “then as a scheming MP and now as Prime Minister finding loopholes in our constitutions to delay preselections in order to get his way”.
Mr Perrottet said he hoped the party could now get on with the election.
“We are on the eve of the election, we obviously need candidates to be putting their hands up and being preselected so the public are able to – if they want – vote for their local Liberal candidate,” Mr Perrottet told ABC News.
“I would agree with Josh. It’s hardly been ideal, but it’s good to see there are now candidates in place and we can get on and have the election.”
