The Victorian Liberals have booted their leader, making history by electing a woman to head the party for the first time almost a year out from heading to the polls.
Less than a year after rising to the top job, Opposition Leader Brad Battin lost the leadership to Kew MP Jess Wilson, 35, on Tuesday morning after a successful spill.
Mr Battin was visited on Monday afternoon by a delegation of Liberal MPs who told him he had lost party room support, with others then calling him to deliver the same message.
Ms Wilson, a former staffer to ex-federal treasurer Josh Frydenberg, arrived at the meeting flanked by Brad Rowswell and Evan Mulholland.
Mr Battin walked into the party room alone and spoke to the media briefly after the spill.
“I stand continuously proud in the role that I’ve done and the things that I'’e done for the community,” he told reporters.
“The Victorian Liberal Party now has a very clear path to go towards the next election.”
Hawthorn MP John Pesutto, who was dumped in December to make way for Mr Battin, wouldn’t say if he supported the leader.
“I just want to see us make a decision today and move towards the next election,” he said.
“Because at the end of the day this is all about the Victorian people.”
Two-time opposition leader Matthew Guy categorically ruled out a return to the top job.
“Eighteen years of marriage and my wife will get her wish today,” Mr Guy said.
“She said don't you come back opposition leader and I won't.”
Warrandyte MP Nicole Werner repeatedly said she supported the leader, while former opposition leader Michael O’Brien said it was “blue skies”.
“I think there’s been a lot of unfortunate mistakes to take place over the last few months,” retiring party stalwart Kim Wells said.
Support for the Victorian opposition had slipped in recent reputable polls despite the three-term Labor government grappling with soaring crime and state debt.
However, a Freshwater poll published by the Herald Sun on Tuesday morning suggested the coalition had their nose in front of Labor at 51 per cent to 49 per cent, with Mr Battin’s favourability rating at plus 15.
Tensions within the party have simmered since a crushing defeat at the 2022 election, spilling into a defamation lawsuit by Liberal MP Moira Deeming against Mr Pesutto.
The moves among Victorian Liberals come after their federal counterparts abandoned the party’s net-zero emissions policy, stoking speculation of a challenge against leader Sussan Ley.
Ms Wilson marks the party’s fifth leader since September 2021.
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