Deserted Farmer dirty on Liberals

Liberal Party sources say Mr Farmer is all but certain to lose preselection for the Sydney seat of Macarthur on Thursday to former Campbelltown mayor Russell Matheson.

Mr Farmer told The Sun-Herald he felt abandoned by the Liberal Party after he "copped an incredible amount of flak for moving" out of the electorate to harbourside Mosman before the 2007 election.

He said that flak "came from not only the ALP but the Liberal Party as well. That doesn't help. This preselection is a process that doesn't come from the people but was an independent for much of that time until local businessmen convinced him to join the Liberal Party. His preselection bid has played on the unhappiness created by Mr Farmer's move.

"A lot of politicians are very disconnected [with their seat]," he said.

Mr Farmer suffered a 10 per cent swing against him in 2007, leaving the Liberal Party with a 0.72 per cent margin. He said the backlash did not reflect his move to Mosman but rather weariness with the Howard government.

"The party lost but I didn't lose," he said.

Mr Farmer said he remained "very connected" to Macarthur. He would not say if he the party.

"Unlike the constituents or the people on the ground, this is something that's out of my hands."

Cr Matheson has been on the council for 17 years, including five terms as mayor. He would move back after selling his Mosman house for a reported $2 million this month.

He has served three terms in Parliament but must seek preselection again to qualify for his parliamentary pension.

The successful candidate will find it hard to win Macarthur, which is notionally Labor after a draft redistribution of boundaries.

Possible Labor candidates are Nick Bleasdale, who stood in 2007, local pediatrician Michael Freelander, Camden Deputy Mayor Greg Warren and wheelchair athlete Paul Nunnari.

MP's RIVAL

LONG-SERVING Howard government minister Philip Ruddock is under threat in his Sydney seat of Berowra. He is being challenged by Richard Quinn, a Hunters Hill councillor supported by the party's hard right.

Macquarie Bank executive Oliver Yates has withdrawn his nominations for Berowra and Mackellar, leaving Bronwyn Bishop unchallenged.