New South Wales Liberals avoid messy preselection fight, strike deal on women-focused upper house ticket

The New South Wales Liberals have avoided a messy upper house preselection ahead of the state election after securing an agreement for the ticket.

It was the party's second attempt to reach a deal for the candidates, while some in the party expressed serious concerns about the process.

The first fell apart four days ago in a blow to Premier Dominic Perrottet, who had intervened to ensure there was gender parity on the ticket for the winnable positions.

This second deal, which has been approved by the party's state executive, also has three women running as candidates — Families and Communities Minister Natasha Maclaren-Jones, her political staffer Rachel Merton and Sue Carter, a member of the party's executive.

All three women are from the party's conservative faction.

Ms Merton is a new addition to the ticket, replacing Jean Haynes who bowed out at the end of last week.

Current upper house MPs Chris Rath and Peter Poulos remain the moderates on the ticket.

There are still no women from that faction.

One of the reasons the original deal was put on ice was due to some members of the moderate faction being angered that all three women on the ticket were conservative, and that the left — despite being the dominant faction — had fewer spots.

This second deal does not address those issues, but settles the matter by avoiding a contested preselection just two months out from the state election.

Upper House President Matthew Mason-Cox, Lou Amato and Shayne Mallard also lost out in the deal.

In a letter obtained by the ABC, Mr Mason-Cox has written to the Liberal Party's state executive to express serious concerns about a "factional stitch-up". 

"Whilst I fully support the strong desire to preselect women in the party … this must always be balanced against the fundamental right of members to preselect their candidates," he wrote.

"Indeed, the latest reported iteration of the proposed ticket dictated by this self-appointed small group of factional operatives, proposes that a factional woman who resides in Sydney be installed to represent country members. This is both deeply insulting and disrespectful to all members."

He said talented women already in the party were denied a vote, and some were denied a chance to run for preselection themselves and win on merit. 

"Over the last few days, many members have personally contacted me to express their disgust with the proposed selection process.

"Sadly, for some, it is the final straw and they will walk away from our great party," he said. 

Ms Maclaren-Jones still has four years left of her current upper house term, so this deal ensures she gets another eight years.

Her vacancy is set to be filled by Scott Farlow, who is a current upper house MP and lost out under the new ticket agreement.

It means that the deal will ensure a net gain of two women in the upper house.