Prime Minister Scott Morrison says he understands and respects why Gladys Berejiklian wants to go in a “different direction” rather than enter federal politics, ahead of an announcement expected on Friday by the former NSW premier about her future.

Mr Morrison made public appeals to Ms Berejiklian over the past week to consider running as the Liberal candidate in the federal seat of Warringah, where the party faces an uphill battle against the incumbent independent MP, Zali Steggall.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and then NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian at a press conference in February.Credit:Kate Geraghty

Ms Berejiklian made no comment throughout the week of speculation but is expected to make a statement on Friday. Several people close to the former premier – who was a Commonwealth Bank general manager before entering politics – indicated she had received numerous approaches from the corporate sector since resigning.

The Herald reported on Thursday that Ms Berejiklian would rule herself out of the race by the end of the week.

In a statement to journalists last night made with her knowledge, Mr Morrison said: “I completely understand and respect why Gladys would want to go in a different direction post-politics.

“As much as I and other senior leaders in the party like John Howard, Tony Abbott and Bruce Baird would welcome her entry back into public life, we also respect her choices about the direction she would now like to take in her life.

“I appreciate the opportunity to have been able to talk these issues through with Gladys as we go back a long way. I am always going to seek to recruit great women to serve in our federal Liberal team.”

Mr Morrison said Ms Berejiklian had been “an extraordinary leader throughout the difficult past few years” and “a rock for the state as well as a good friend to me and [my wife] Jen”.

He also vowed the Liberal Party would field a strong team of female candidates at next year’s election, “all of whom would have been inspired by Gladys”.

Mr Morrison has tried to recruit a star candidate for the northern beaches seat of Warringah – first former premier Mike Baird, then Ms Berejiklian – to take on Ms Steggall, who ousted Mr Abbott in 2019 with an 18 per cent swing.

In their absence the leading preselection hopefuls are now barrister Jane Buncle and management consultant Alex Dore. Ms Buncle is considered the frontrunner.

Mr Morrison’s statement did not explicitly say that Ms Berejiklian has decided not to contest the seat. A spokesman for Ms Berejiklian did not answer calls yesterday.

Speculation about Ms Berejiklian’s future went into overdrive on Monday when Mr Morrison told journalists she was the victim of a “pile on” and had been treated shamefully by the Independent Commission Against Corruption and the media.

He claimed the former premier had been “put in a position of actually having to stand down” when there had been no findings against her. “I don’t call that justice,” he said, adding she would make a great candidate for Warringah.

Ms Berejiklian resigned as premier of her own volition when the ICAC revealed it was investigating whether she had breached public trust or encouraged corrupt conduct during her secret relationship with disgraced former MP Daryl Maguire.

She denied any wrongdoing but said it was untenable for her to simply stand aside from the state’s highest office while the investigation took place, given it was not clear how long the process would take. The ICAC is yet to hand down its findings on the matter.

Mr Morrison’s praise for Ms Berejiklian and trashing of the ICAC as a “kangaroo court” have also ignited a fresh clash with Labor and others over Australia’s anti-corruption framework, with Mr Morrison accused of undermining public confidence in the nation’s integrity agencies amid his government’s failure to institute a promised Commonwealth Integrity Commission.

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said the speculation about Ms Berejiklian’s future was a “farce” that had led to nothing.

He said Mr Morrison had “reinforced his contempt for a national anti-corruption commission and his contempt for proper processes in the way he has attacked a body such as the ICAC”.

Federal Labor leader Anthony Albanese said Scott Morrison had “reinforced his contempt for a national anti-corruption commission”.Credit:Louise Kennerley

“The fact is conservatives used to stand up for institutions and this country. This Prime Minister does not stand up for institutions, he just knocks them down,” Mr Albanese said.

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