Prime Minister Scott Morrison has clarified his “captain’s call” on the Liberal Party’s candidate selection process to replace retiring MP for Gilmore in NSW, Ann Sudmalis.

“Yesterday I said I welcomed former Labor Party national president Warren Mundine as a candidate for Liberal preselection in the seat,” Mr Morrison said.

“I want to clarify that by acknowledging that I meant to say Anthony Mundine, not Warren. I am sure Anthony will put up a good fight in the preselection process.”

The PM’s mistake came to light when Anthony Mundine attended a meeting of the Gilmore electorate’s Liberal Party ladies’ auxiliary last night (main picture) to give members a preview of his nomination speech.

Mr Morrison was speaking while on a tour of Queensland (pictured in The Courier-Mail) where at Cooktown in the state’s far north he met members of the Guugu Yimitthirr tribe to lecture them on dress standards for the upcoming Australia Day holiday.