Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott has slammed the “rottenness at the heart” of the NSW Liberal Party after it was revealed senior ministers conspired to rig a vote on democratic reform.

The Daily Telegraph reports federal and state ministers deliberately sabotaged a public vote on Mr Abbott’s ‘Warringah Motion’ which aimed to give Liberal Party members more power in choosing who should stand for parliament.

In 2014, it’s alleged Turnbull government minister Alex Hawke and senior NSW MPs Ray Williams­, Pru Goward, Scott Farlow and Natasha Maclaren-Jones attempted to influence a free vote on the issue in their favour.

Mr Abbott told Macquarie Radio’s Ray Hadley this morning that a “small and influential minority” with the NSW Liberal Party is in it for themselves and Andrew Bolt agrees.

“I do know who’s side Alex Hawke is on, it’s Alex Hawke. I do know who’s side Pru Goward’s on, it’s Pru Goward,” Andrew tells Chris Smith.

“These are people trying to protect their own patch, their own power.”

Mr Abbott’s reform proposal was defeated in 2014 but successfully passed last year, giving everyday Liberal members more of a say in who should stand for parliament.

Andrew says lobbyists still hold too much power when it comes to picking candidates.

“The party machine guys, they run the joint. People have got to kiss their ring.”

Click PLAY below to hear from Andrew Bolt