A group of Victorian Liberal MPs have told the party leader, Brad Battin, they no longer have confidence in his leadership, paving the way for a vote on whether to replace him.
The intervention on Monday afternoon – delivered almost one year before the state goes to the polls – could trigger a ballot on his position as early as Tuesday morning.
Several party sources from different factions have confirmed the shadow treasurer, Jess Wilson, has received enough support to test leadership of the party, as first reported by the Age.
Wilson was contacted for comment.
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The Victorian Liberal party room will meet on Tuesday morning, as it does each sitting week. A move to spill positions would also implicate the deputy leader, Sam Groth.
Battin, who is expected to issue a statement later on Monday, was contacted for comment.
Battin’s leadership of the party has been undermined by several internal party disputes in recent months, including a bitter divide over a loan to ensure former party leader John Pesutto could avoid bankruptcy and pay upper-house MP Moira Deeming’s legal costs following a defamation trial.
In September, the director of the Victorian Liberals, Stuart Smith, resigned after leaked messages were published in which he ridiculed the party’s women’s council and upper house MP Bev McArthur.
In October, the Victorian Liberal party’s state executive extended preselections after being underwhelmed by the quantity and quality of candidates seeking to challenge Labor MPs.
More details soon …
