A Liberal Party executive meeting, and the social function which followed it on Friday, July 26, has failed to heal the divisions in the South Coast branch that erupted at this year's election.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
It's understood a number of the executive did not attend the meeting, and former MP Ann Sudmalis' departure from the party was not on the agenda.
Ms Sudmalis and another former Gilmore MP, Joanna Gash, campaigned for Nationals candidate Katrina Hodgkinson at the May federal election.
Ms Gash defended her decision, and her attendance at the post-meeting function.
"I'm still a member of the Liberal Party, and I received an invitation," she said.
"My whole aim at the last election was to have a Coalition person in government, which we didn't get. We are one family."
She said she did not receive a warm welcome at the event, but was pleased to be acknowledged by former Attorney-General Philip Ruddock.
"It's alright, I'm used to that," she said.
"People can make up their own minds about things."
State member for the South Coast, Shelley Hancock, said she was not in the meeting, but understood there had been "some discussion about Gilmore", and that she believed those discussions would be ongoing.
Ms Hancock said she was not aware Ms Sudmalis was no longer a member of the party.
"I have no reaction to that at all," she said.
