- The electoral redistribution project generated speculation
- Frydenberg announces that he will not return
- He wants to continue his business career, for now.
Former treasurer and deputy Liberal leader Josh Frydenberg will not attempt a political comeback in the next federal election, despite speculation he would seek to reopen nominations for his former Victorian seat of Kooyong.
Since Victoria’s electoral redistribution draft was released last week, commentators and politicians have been speculating in overdrive whether the former deputy leader would push for the Liberal preselection to be reopened in Kooyong.
The redistribution abolished Higgins’ seat and dramatically reshaped the boundaries in Kooyong, the seat Frydenberg lost to independent Teal Monique Ryan at the last election.
The Liberal Party has selected Oxford graduate Amelia Hamer, 31, to contest Kooyong, and twisting her arm to step aside would be a shocking look for a party lacking female representation.
Frydenberg wants to continue his burgeoning business career (he is a senior executive at Goldman Sachs) and also understands that a return would be extremely difficult to orchestrate, given that preselections have already taken place in Victoria.
Stepping away from politics: Former treasurer Josh Frydenberg (pictured) will not try to return to Kooyong
Amelia Hamer (pictured) has been shortlisted as the Liberal candidate for Kooyong
At 12:28 on Monday, the former Treasurer tweeted: ‘Regarding recent speculation about Kooyong: I am in no rush to return to politics, my position on participation in the upcoming elections remains unchanged. “I will continue to support the Liberal Party and our local candidate Amelia Hamer.”
Some senior Liberals wanted the distraction to end so that attention could return to the problems the Labor government is having, especially in the immigration portfolio.
Rumors of a possible return gained steam over the weekend when former cabinet minister Karen Andrews suggested a Frydenberg return should be accommodated, but senior Victorian Liberals, including Senator Jane Hume, poured cold water on the ide before Frydenberg’s confirmation.
Ms Andrews has been an outspoken critic of Peter Dutton and Scott Morrison since the 2022 election defeat and will stand down at the next election.
“It was just another parting shot,” one Liberal MP told Daily Mail Australia.
A member of Mr Dutton’s shadow cabinet told Daily Mail Australia: “A return for Josh would be a circus and would only cause speculation about who leads the party if Peter doesn’t win.” It’s the last thing we need when we have a real chance of making the Labor Party a one-term government.’
The boundary changes could make it harder for Teal independent Monique Ryan (pictured) to keep the Liberal Party at bay.
While a return for Frydenberg would certainly have added depth to the opposition lineup, as a candidate he would not join the front until after the election.
He would also have been unlikely to hold senior positions and portfolios as he did during Scott Morrison’s leadership.
The current shadow treasurer is Angus Taylor, the current deputy Liberal leader is Sussan Ley. Neither is willing to step aside voluntarily in favor of Frydenberg.
If the Liberals lose the election due to poor electoral performance, Frydenberg would find it difficult to regain his seat, even if doing so would be a real opportunity to achieve leadership of the opposition after defeat.
These are all factors the former Treasurer weighed before deciding he is happy to put his political career behind him, at least for now.
