Days after Malcolm Turnbull was knifed by the Liberal Party, his son asked the Labor candidate vying to replace him as the member for Wentworth “What can I do to help?”

Tim Murray says he reached out to Alex Turnbull shortly after his friend’s father was deposed as prime minister.

“He said ‘What can I do to help?’ and I said ‘Oh I’m not sure it’s early days’ and then boom off he went,” Mr Murray told AAP on Monday.

“Alex is a pretty independent thinker, just like his dad. I doubt Malcolm is feeling a lot of love for the Liberal Party at the moment.”

https://twitter.com/alexbhturnbull/status/1035682308903161858

Alex Turnbull has taken to Twitter to encourage people to donate to the Labor Party ahead of the Wentworth by-election, saying it’s the best “bang for the buck” they’ll get.

He is also sharing ALP campaign material via social media.

Mr Murray – a businessman who spent years working in China – says Malcolm Turnbull would be one of the first people he’d hope to speak with if he were to win the harbourside seat.

“He has been the most popular Member for Wentworth in history. He is really loved around here,” the 50-year-old said.

A recent opinion poll has the Liberal and Labor parties at 50 per cent on a two-party preferred basis in a sign voters could punish the government for dumping Mr Turnbull.

But Mr Murray isn’t entirely convinced.

“It has at least become contestable but, put it this way, I’m not looking at real estate in Canberra yet,” he said.

“Before Malcolm Turnbull resigned there was absolutely no way on earth that it was winnable.”

-AAP