Former police officer courted by Liberals to fill vacant seat

Scott Morrison is under pressure to fill huge voids in his party ahead of the election as more politicians vacate their seats in parliament.

Former minister Craig Laundy is expected to become the latest to quit politics, joining Julie Bishop, Christopher Pyne and Steven Ciobo.

9News has confirmed Mr Morrison is currently in talks with former NSW deputy police commissioner Nick Kaldas to fill in the seat of Reid that will be vacated by Mr Laundy’s anticipated announcement.

Mr Kaldas is yet to decide if he will stand.

Candidates to fill the holes left by Ms Bishop, Mr Pyne and Mr Ciobo are yet to be confirmed.

Elsewhere, the prime minister’s team faces huge battles in seats held by key members.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg is one of at least three ministers who will be tied down in their electorates during the campaign as the Liberals fight simply to stay in parliament.

As well as campaigning, Mr Frydengberg will have his hands full with the Budget, which is due a month early in April.

His blue ribbon seat of Kooyong sits on a healthy 12.5 percent margin. But at the Victorian election, the four blue ribbon Liberal heartland seats in its footprint swung against it, three falling to Labor.

Health Minister Greg Hunt faces similar trouble in his seat of Flinders, which he holds on a slimmer margin.

In Queensland, home affairs minister Peter Dutton faces Labor’s Ali France, a star candidate battling for the seat of Dickson.

And it won’t be just Labor and the Greens putting pressure on the Coalition.

“We’re already targeting a lot of seats around the country, at least 14,” the Australian Council of Trade Union’s Sally McManus said today.