Labor preselects human rights law professor to run in federal seat of North Sydney

Labor has preselected a human rights lawyer with deep roots in the party to run against Liberal moderate Trent Zimmerman in North Sydney, in what promises to become a fascinating three corner race for the federal seat.

On Tuesday, Labor will announce that Catherine Renshaw, a professor of law at the University of Western Sydney specialising in human rights, will run for the lower north shore seat.

Labor has never held North Sydney, but it was represented by independent Ted Mack in the 1990s for six years and a community endorsed independent, Kylea Tink, is running this year.

The presence of a third strong candidate in the seat is likely to make for a lively contest where local community forums will play an important role.

Renshaw went to school in North Sydney and lives in Northbridge. She joined the Labor party 25 years ago and is married to John Renshaw, whose father, Jack Renshaw, was a Labor premier of New South Wales.

The party is buoyed by its strong showing in the local government elections in North Sydney council and Lane Cove council, which have a large crossover with the federal seat.

Insiders say the challenges are unlikely to be successful, but indicate the factional manoeuvring within the NSW Liberal party. Factional plays have held up NSW Liberal nominations for nine months, leaving a raft of key seats without candidates.