Independents bloodbath in traditional Liberal seats of Kooyong, Wentworth and Goldstein

The Liberal Party looks set to lose wealthy heartland electorates previously held by prime ministers to climate change independents in Sydney and Melbourne.

The female ‘teal’ independents, funded by multimillionaire Simon Holmes a Court, are outpolling sitting Liberal MPs in wealthy suburbs near the city or by the beach – ending the careers of leading party moderates.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s Liberal Party looks set to lose Kooyong and Goldstein in Melbourne and the Sydney seats of Wentworth, North Sydney and Mackellar, as independent Zali Steggall is easily re-elected in Warringah.

Three of those seats have previously been held by a Liberal prime minister – two during the past decade.

Female independents have beaten male MPs, with the Liberal Party having far fewer women in Parliament than Labor.

‘Climate 200 is a very small part of this movement … the credit goes to these amazing candidates,’ Mr Holmes a Court told the Nine Network.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, the Liberal Party’s deputy leader and future leadership contender, looks set to lose Kooyong, in Melbourne’s east.

His opponent Monique Ryan, a paediatric neurosurgeon, is leading 52.1 per cent to 47.9 per cent, after preferences.

Mr Frydenberg is ahead on primary votes at 42.3 per cent to Dr Ryan’s 40.8 per cent but she is set to benefit from Labor and Greens preferences.

Kooyong was previously held by Australia’s longest-serving prime minister Robert Menzies, the founder of the Liberal Party, and former opposition leader Andrew Peacock.

In Sydney’s wealthy eastern suburbs, Allegra Spender is set to knock off Liberal MP Dave Sharma, a former ambassador to Israel, in Wentworth, once held by another former PM Malcolm Turnbull.

The daughter of the late fashion designer Carla Zampatti is leading 53.7 per cent to  46.3 per cent, after preferences.

Her primary vote of 38.8 per cent is ahead of her Liberal opponent’s 37 per cent.

The campaigner for climate action is the daughter of former federal Liberal MP John Spender, who himself lost to an independent, and the granddaughter of post-war minister for external affairs Percy Spender.

Sharma won back Wentworth at the 2019 election after losing a 2018 by-election to another high-profile independent, former Australian Medical Association president Dr Kerryn Phelps. 

In Melbourne’s bayside seat of Goldstein, Liberal MP Tim Wilson is also in trouble, with former ABC foreign correspondent Zoe Daniel leading 56.3 per cent to 43.7 per cent.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, the Liberal Party’s deputy leader and future leadership contender, is in serious trouble of losing Kooyong, in Melbourne’s east

Mr Wilson, a campaigner for marriage equality, had a primary vote of 37.9 per cent to his opponent’s 35 per cent.

Zali Steggall, a former Olympic skier, has been easily re-elected in former prime minister Tony Abbott’s old Sydney Northern Beaches seat of Warringhah, against divisive Liberal candidate Katherine Deves, who described transgender children as ‘surgically mutilated’.

She had 61 per cent of the vote after preferences to her controversial opponent’s 39 per cent, with 44.5 per cent of the primary vote to the Liberal Party’s 32.5 per cent in early counting.  

In the neighbouring electorate of North Sydney, Liberal incumbent Trent Zimmerman is in danger, with independent Kylea Tink ahead 55.7 per cent to 44.3 per cent after preferences.

Mr Zimmerman had a 13.4 per cent swing against him on preferences, leaving him with a primary vote of 36.3 per cent.

The Liberal Party is also in trouble in the Sydney Northern Beaches seat of Mackellar, stretching from Dee Why to Palm Beach. 

In Melbourne’s bayside seat of Goldstein, Liberal MP Tim Wilson is also in trouble, with former ABC foreign correspondent Zoe Daniel (pictured) leading 56.3 per cent to 43.7 per cent

Independent Sophie Scamps is leading 53.9 per cent to 46.1 per cent after preferences.

Finance Minister Simon Birmingham, a leader moderate in the Liberal Party from South Australia, said the electorate had sent a message about the need for more female MPs in his party. 

‘Absolutely, that’s a very important message the electorate has sent us,’ he told the ABC.

‘We can’t just say preselecting more women is sufficient.’