Opposition leadership rival promoted in reshuffle
A prominent Liberal leadership rival has been promoted in a front-row reshuffle as the state opposition faces an uphill battle at the next election.
Victorian Liberal MP Jess Wilson has upgraded her high-profile treasury portfolio with a shadow cabinet reshuffle announced on Saturday.
Ms Wilson, from the party’s moderate wing, lost to Brad Battin in a vote to replace John Pesutto as Victorian opposition leader in late 2024.
Brighton MP James Newbury was sacked from his treasury post despite backing Mr Battin in that contest and is now taking on the shadow attorney-general’s post vacated by former party leader Michael O’Brien.
Mr O’Brien is one of two frontrunners to trigger the reshuffle.
There have been factional tensions among Victorian Liberals since the 2022 state election.
Much of the events focused on the high-profile smear battle between Mr Pesutto and outspoken MP Moira Deeming, who successfully sued Pesutto after the Federal Court found he had defamed her by implying he was linked to neo-Nazis.
Mr Pesutto remained in the background after the party lent him $1.55 million to settle his debt to Ms Deeming, sparking a new legal logjam over the legality of the payment.
First-term MPs Nicole Werner, Nick McGowan and Richard Welch rose to the front row.
Ms Warner has built a following on social media and covers the issue of youth justice, while Mr McGowan and Mr Welch’s portfolios include victims and industrial relations respectively.
Roma Britnell, who stood by Mr Pesutto on his way to a key party chamber leadership meeting in 2024, has been kicked out of the shadow cabinet.
The Victorian opposition under Mr Battin has suffered losses in recent polls even as the third-term Labor government faces a crime wave and mounting debts.
Mr Battin spoke at a media conference alongside new frontbench members on Saturday but other MPs did not attend.
“I’ve put together a team that I think is the best team going forward,” Mr Battin told reporters.
“I think he’s in the ultimate position to go into the next election and what we can do to move our policies forward.”
He said the trio would bring new skills and was determined to be the front-runner in the November 2026 election, even though it includes seven upper house members, one more than the number allowed under the state constitution.
Mr McGowan is trying to move to the lower house and has nominated himself for the seat of Ringwood, held by former Labor MP independent Will Fowles.
Deputy leader and former tennis star Sam Groth has abandoned major events in favor of public transport, ports and aviation, while former leader Matthew Guy is now in charge of major projects.
Evan Mulholland takes on Ms. Wilson’s education portfolio.
