How Peta Credlin has become the Liberal Party’s ‘great right hope’, by John Ruddick.

On December 18, the member for the federal seat of Mallee, Andrew Broad, announced his retirement. Immediately, the name Peta Credlin appeared towards the end of reports on who will replace him.

Most assumed it would be a National Party member. Since its creation in 1949 Mallee has had just four members – all Nats. But the Coalition agreement permits both parties to contest a vacant seat and unlike NSW, the Victorian Liberals exercise that option. If Credlin took the seat, it would re-energise a dispirited conservative movement. She would be the “great right hope”. …

Credlin was born in, and spent half her childhood in, Wycheproof (central Mallee) but her family ties to the area go back to the mid-19th century, making the Credlins some of the first non-Aboriginal settlers. …

Credlin is apparently waiting to see who the Nats preselect. If she nominates for Liberal preselection, who would run against this Amazonian? Likely no-one because, unlike in NSW, the Liberals in Victoria are democratic and all local members vote for candidates, which disempowers factional creeps.