Daily London
The Victorian Liberal Party is staring down the barrel of a leadership spill after a group of senior party members told opposition leader Brad Battin he no longer has their support.
Liberal MPs from across the party’s political spectrum approached Battin late this afternoon and asked him to stand aside at tomorrow morning’s party room meeting at Parliament.
Other MPs also called Battin to express their dissatisfaction with his performance as party leader.
Shadow treasurer Jess Wilson is expected to challenge Battin’s leadership at tomorrow’s meeting if a spill motion succeeds.
Wilson, 35, was elected as the member for Kew at the 2022 election and is one of the youngest MPs in the party room.
9News understands she was not behind the push for a challenge and was approached to put her hand up.
Plateauing opinion polls, frustration at a recent cabinet reshuffle and pressure ahead of next year’s election are believed to be behind the motion to turf Battin.
Former Victorian premier Jeff Kennett believes Battin deserves more time at the top.
“I can’t believe it, but there is a degree of self-destruct within the Victorian parliamentary party as we’ve seen over the last few years,” Kennett told 3AW.
Deputy leader Sam Groth and shadow planning minister Richard Riordan were tonight at Battin’s side inside his CBD office.
When asked whether Battin would remain leader, Groth remarked “only time will tell”.
The party suffered a wipeout defeat at the 2022 election.
Battin succeeded at a leadership spill against former party leader John Pesutto in December last year.
Pesutto narrowly beat out Battin to snatch the leadership from Matthew Guy following the party’s loss at the last election.
