Jess Wilson, a well-respected MP and former ally of John Pesutto, has thrown her hat in the ring for the Victorian Liberal leadership, making it a three-way race against Brad Battin and the incumbent, John Pesutto. Wilson's decision comes after a proposed unity deal for her to become deputy leader fell through. Battin, a former police officer and bakery owner, is running with Sam Groth as his deputy. The challenge for the leadership will be decided at a party room meeting on Friday.
The challenge for the Victorian Liberal leadership will be a three-cornered contest after former John Pesutto ally Jess Wilson threw her hat in the ring at the eleventh hour.
“I’m a proud Melburnian. I’m a proud Victorian. But it breaks my heart to see our city and our state struggling under the weight of an incompetent Labor government that has trashed our economy and made it harder for families to get ahead.Unfortunately, it has been made clear to me today that a unity ticket is no longer on the table. Given that and after consulting my colleagues, I’ve decided to stand to offer them a choice.
“It is clear that a holiday does not make it ‘impossible’ for a member to return for the meeting,” Newbury wrote. Those supporting Jess Wilson are confident they could win a majority, but said it depended on whether remote voting will be allowed. One MP in Wilson’s camp said on Thursday: “The only thing stopping our colleagues overseas having their say is Brad Battin’s fear they won’t vote for him.”
Three MPs said Battin was seeking to have a frontbench evenly split between male and female colleagues. Currently, seven of the party’s 23 frontbenchers are women. Battin’s challenge on Friday will mark his third attempt to secure the leadership position. He mounted an unsuccessful coup against then-leader Michael O’Brien in 2021, and narrowly lost out to Pesutto in 2022 following Matthew Guy’s resignation.
Victorian Liberal Party Leadership Challenge John Pesutto Brad Battin Jess Wilson
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