One woman and four men contest Liberal Party preselection for Cook

The contest will be decided on March 4, with a series of ballots involving 326 Liberal Party local members and central office delegates.

The sole woman candidate is Gwen Cherne, who was appointed as the inaugural Veteran Family Advocate Commissioner on the Repatriation Commission in 2020.

The Department of Veterans Affairs website says Ms Cherne is "an Australian war widow from suicide, the mother of a currently serving member of the Australian Defence Force and a daughter of a Vietnam veteran who suffered PTSD and moral injury".

"Since the death of her husband to suicide in 2017 she has dedicated herself to advocacy for Australian war widows, Defence and veteran families, suicide prevention and mental health awareness," the website says.

Sutherland Shire mayor Carmelo Pesce, 55, who was elected to the council in 2012 and is in his eighth year as mayor, was the first to nominate.

Another strong contender is Simon Kennedy, who stood unsuccessfully for the seat of Bennelong, John Howard's former seat, at the 2022 election.

Local Liberal Party members Alex Cooke and Ben Britton make up the field.

The Labor Party has not yet revealed whether it will stand a candidate.

The Liberal Party has a 12.4 per cent margin in Cook, which stretches from Sutherland Shire into St George.

Labor candidate Simon Earle gained a 6.6 per cent swing against Mr Morrison at the 2022 election.