The talk of any half-decent Liberal function over the holiday break was the will-she, won’t-she suggestion Peta Credlin was lining up for Andrew Broad’s seat of Mallee, the ultra-safe Nationals electorate in Victoria long considered Coalition heartland.

It was, as this column revealed back in December, a suggestion that sat particularly well with Credlin’s previous employer, former prime minister Tony Abbott.

The Liberal Party has been abuzz with rumours about Peta Credlinn returning to politics. Credit:Matt Golding

But under a different scenario that was being discussed even before 007 Broad’s Hong Kong-based implosion, Credlin was rumoured to be eyeing another safe Coalition electorate in Menzies, where Kevin Andrews has been the long-serving Liberal MP for 27 years.

In August, the Liberal Party endorsed all sitting members to go around again at the next federal election — due in May — saving Andrews from a serious challenge by barrister Keith Wolahan.