The NSW Labor party has blocked controversial former MP Belinda Neal from seeking preselection on the Central Coast by endorsing two other women as candidates to run in state and federal seats.
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Opposition leader Luke Foley announced on Friday that teacher and Paralympic gold medallist Liesl Tesch will be Labor's candidate in the forthcoming byelection in the state seat of Gosford, sparked by the retirement of Kathy Smith.
He also said Anne Charlton will run in the seat of Robertson at the next federal election.
Both women have been referred to the ALP national executive for endorsement, bypassing rank and file preselections.
The move comes after Fairfax Media revealed that Ms Neal was being charged under ALP rules with "unworthy conduct" in relation to alleged branch stacking offences.
The claims, which Ms Neal has strongly denied, include that she asked at least one party member to sign branch attendance books outside a meeting and sought permission for her to do so from ALP head office without her knowledge.
Ms Neal denies the claims and says that she has always followed the Labor party rules.
Labor's Gosford state electoral council on Monday night endorsed a motion demanding a rank and file preselection be held in the seat to choose the byelection candidate.
However, the NSW Labor officials on Friday referred to the party's national executive their recommendation that Ms Tesch and Ms Charlton be the candidates.
Ms Charlton was Labor's candidate for Robertson at the 2016 federal election after beating Ms Neal in a rank and file preselection.
