Controversial Liberal candidate Warren Mundine admits he wasn’t thinking about entering politics until the Prime Minister talked him into it.

The former Labor Party president will contest the seat of Gilmore at this year’s federal election after being parachuted in by Scott Morrison.

Mr Mundine hasn’t lived in the marginal electorate covering the New South Wales south coast but has family links there.

Thanks Prime Minister. Looking forward to working with you. https://t.co/zBvh2YsRwa

— Nyunggai Warren Mundine AO (@nyunggai) January 23, 2019

The move infuriated local real estate Grant Schultz who was dumped from preselection in favour of Mr Mundine.

Mr Schultz quit the party in disgust, saying the Prime Minister is a coward and “better watch out”.

Mr Mundine tells Steve Price he “was never looking for a safe seat”, in fact, he was never looking to enter politics at all.

“When I had the conversation with the Prime Minister I wasn’t thinking of running for parliament,” says Mr Mundine.

“But when he had the conversation with me I said, ‘okay, I’m happy’.

“I’m a country boy, I was born in the bush, I spent half my life in the bush, I own businesses in the bush.

“So my commitment is to regional Australia because we need jobs out there to get things done and drive Australia’s economy forward.

“I also have a very personal connection with Gilmore so I was always going to put my hand up for that.”

Click PLAY below for the full interview