A well-known celebrity doctor has announced she will challenge for Malcolm Turnbull’s seat of Wentworth, potentially destabilising Scott Morrison’s government.
Dr Kerryn Phelps announced on Sunday she will stand as an independent in the October 20 by-election, which could damage the Liberal Party’s majority government.
Dr Phelps has previously served as head of the Australian Medical Association and has frequently appeared in the media as a medical expert.
Dr Kerryn Phelps (pictured with her partner) announced on Sunday she will stand as an independent in the October 20 by-election
Mr Turnbull announced he will not run for re-election in his blue-ribbon seat
Dave Sharma, a former ambassador to Israel, has been pre-selected as the Liberal Party replacement
The well-known celebrity doctor has announced she will challenge for the seat of Wentworth, potentially destabilising Scott Morrison’s government
Mr Turnbull announced last month that he will not run for re-election in his blue-ribbon seat.
Dave Sharma, a former ambassador to Israel, has been pre-selected as the Liberal Party replacement.
At a press conference on Sunday morning, Dr Phelps took an early swipe at Mr Sharma.
‘It beggars belief that the Liberal Party was not able to find a suitable candidate from within the electorate of Wentworth,’ she said.
‘I’ve been a member of this local community for almost 20 years. This is going to be grassroots campaign. This is not a billionaires’ club.’
The Labor Party’s Tim Murray will also stand for the seat.
Dr Phelps said that her platform will be socially progressive and she will try to block the hard-right of both the Labor and Liberal Party.
At a press conference on Sunday morning announcing her campaign, Dr Phelps (pictured) said she will run a ‘grassroots’ campaign
She says she has been frustrated by lack of female representatives in parliament, particularly in the Liberal Party, and at the ‘revolving door of leadership in Canberra.’
‘My intention is not to block supply. I’m not here as a destabilising influence, I’m here to bring integrity and stability.’
The Order of Australia recipient claims that for too long we have seen politicians vote against their conscience to fall in with the party line.
The Order of Australia recipient claims that for too long we have seen politicians vote against their conscience to fall in with the party line