Federal election: Liberals call in former PMs to support Katherine Deves

John Howard and Tony Abbott took turns in taking a public walk with Ms Deves, as she fights to win the seat of Warringah that was lost to independent Zali Steggall at the 2019 election.

While Mr Abbott has been keeping a lower profile this federal election, 82-year-old Mr Howard has been joining the Liberal Party campaign trail in marginal seats across the country.

READ MORE: Federal election - Meet your Warringah candidates

Mr Abbott met Ms Deves at Forestville in the morning, where they talked to shoppers and business owners in The Centre Shopping Mall.

"She's shown a lot of courage and conviction in the road to her candidacy," Mr Abbott said.

"She's very much in tune with what the people of Warringah want, which is better infrastructure through the Northern Beaches Tunnel, a strong economy and a safe society."

"My instinct is that most people in Warringah want to vote Liberal and I think in Katherine Deves they've got just the candidate to bring that vote back."

During a walk in Manly on Wednesday afternoon Mr Howard said he strongly supported Ms Deves, including in her stance that trans women should not participate in women's sport.

"The idea that young girls should have to compete in sport with biological males is absurd, and I think most people feel that way," he said. "That's not insensitive, it's a statement of the bleeding obvious."

READ MORE: Federal election - Meet your Mackellar candidates

Mr Howard said it's been a tough federal election campaign, but Ms Deves has "got a real shot" at winning the seat of Warringah.

"It won't be easy. It's never easy taking a seat back once it's been won by an independent," he said.

Ms Deves said she's feeling very confident in the lead-up to Saturday's election.

"There's been a lot of support on the ground," she said. "The polling's showing that I have a real shot at this.

"I don't think anyone thought we'd make it this far in six weeks."

Meanwhile, voters across Warringah, as well as North Sydney, Wentworth and Hughes have been receiving robocalls and letters from Mr Howard urging them to vote Liberal.

READ MORE: Pre-election funding promise for new volunteer fire station

The Northern Beaches Review has obtained a copy of the former PM's letter that was addressed to a Mackellar voter.

Mr Howard writes that under the Liberals, Australia has emerged from the pandemic "more strongly than other comparable countries"; and that voting in independents will lead to gridlock and be "disastrous" for the country.

He also writes that Labor has a record of mismanagement and that the economy would be weaker under Anthony Albanese.

Independent candidate for Mackellar, Dr Sophie Scamps, said she was surprised the Liberals had the "time and money to spam the electorate" with the letter.

She also accused Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who has not visited the electorate during the campaign, of having a "toxic" reputation, and that incumbent Liberal MP Jason Falinski "is falling over himself to distance himself from Scott Morrison".

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