But do not expect them to talk about it, or why Ms Parker has given up her place in the Legislative Council after eight years.

Ms Parker, Cr Geoghegan, another Maitland councillor Stephen Mudd and Newcastle councillor Brad Luke are all bound by a party rule that forbids them to talk to the media about preselection.

"I can talk to you about the terrible job this Government is doing but I can't talk to you about preselection," Ms Parker said.

Liberal state president Nick Campbell confirmed the ban, saying it ensured all candidates had "a level playing field" before the preselectors.

Mr Campbell said 30 Maitland branch members and eight head office appointees would choose their candidate on Saturday, February 21.

Ms Parker has been in parliament for eight years and said last May she hoped to stand again as an upper house candidate in the 2011 election.

But something has changed since then.

Ms Parker said she had decided not to renominate for the upper house nominations closed at 5pm yesterday but declined to say why.

Mr Campbell said he could not comment on speculation Ms Parker had been encouraged to run for Maitland but he confirmed it was a seat the Coalition needed to win if it wanted to win government.

Neither Ms Parker nor Mr Campbell would comment on reports about a factional brawl within the Liberal Party that is apparently affecting party preselections.

Mr Campbell said the party brought forward preselections in Maitland and other key seats to give the Opposition a year to campaign before the March 2011 election.