Victorian Liberal Party deputy leader to step down after quitting politics
Retired MP Sam Groth will resign as deputy leader of the Victorian Liberal Party at the next party room meeting and his portfolios will be immediately distributed to other shadow ministers.
Opposition Leader Jess Wilson texted the news to Liberal MPs on Tuesday, following Groth’s shocking announcement a day earlier that he would quit politics at the November election.
“Sam told me at the first party room meeting of the year that he believed it would be in the best interest of the party and his family for him to step down as vice president,” Wilson wrote.
“Further advice on the timing of this meeting will be provided in due course.”
Groth was elected to the Nepean seat just over three years ago.
The next party room meeting is scheduled for February 3, during the first parliamentary session week of the year, but private party room meetings may also be held. Liberal MPs are also scheduled to hold a party room conference at the end of the month, where a vote could theoretically take place.
Planning spokesman David Southwick, who ran unsuccessfully against Groth for the deputy role when Wilson ascended to the leadership, is thought to be a possible candidate. Shadow attorney general James Newbury is being encouraged to stand up.
Wilson also said he would immediately reallocate Groth’s portfolios.
Former opposition leader Brad Battin will take charge of sport, Southwick will look after tourism and major events, and Bridget Vallence will be responsible for trade and investment.
It will also bring the shadow cabinet into line with the size of Prime Minister Jacinta Allan’s cabinet following the resignation of Labor MP Natalie Hutchins.
Under parliamentary rules, the number of shadow ministers entitled to additional salary and expense allowances is limited to the number of cabinet ministers.
Groth’s return to the bench means the opposition won’t have to split those resources.
The former tennis star-turned-politician caught his colleagues by surprise when he announced his retirement from politics on Monday, the same day his colleague and senior MP Wendy Lovell was due to make a similar announcement.
In his public statement, Groth said that he made this decision after discussions with his family, but he took a harsh stance against the infighting to his colleagues.
“I have always tried to approach this job with integrity, hard work and a clear focus on the people who rely on me,” he said in a statement Monday.
“When you find yourself having to fight against your own team, it becomes impossible to achieve this.
put these interests first. This is not the standard I have come to accept in public life.
“This is not the kind of policy Victorians deserve.”
Member for Nepean and his wife, Brittany, filed a lawsuit against the lawsuit messenger of the sun Last year the newspaper was sued over a series of articles making false claims about how their relationship began. The case was resolved in November, with the Groths receiving an apology from the newspaper and an undisclosed payment.
Groth also came into the spotlight early last year for driving the then-deputy upper house leader Georgie Crozier’s chauffeur-driven car, which Groth defended was within the rules.
He said on Monday that this had been a challenging time and that his colleagues were behind it.
Speaking before his message to lawmakers, Wilson said he had a phone conversation with Groth on Monday night.
“Sam is a colleague, a friend, and a member of my team. I wanted to check in on him, him and Britt. It’s been a really tough day for them as a family and I wanted to check in, too, and we had a nice chat last night,” she said Tuesday.
He declined to go further into the private conversation, including whether Groth’s press release was discussed.
Wilson reiterated that Congress must withdraw from the front row and any leadership position when an MP announces their intention to leave parliament.
“Yesterday [Monday] He was really focused on how do we give him this space to make that decision, to spend time with his family. “So I focused on making sure he had that space and got that support.”
He said he had spoken to MPs but was focusing on Groth’s welfare rather than who might replace him as MP.
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Rachel Eddie is The Age’s Victorian political correspondent. Contact her at rachel.eddie@theage.com.au, rachel.eddie@protonmail.com or via Signal at @RachelEddie.99.Connect with: excitement or email.
