Victorian Liberals face internal turmoil under Jess Wilson ahead of November vote

The Victorian Liberal party heads into the November election under a new leader, Jess Wilson, who has vowed to drag the party to the centre and reconnect with voters it has lost. Across the aisle is a weary third‑term Labor government burdened by state debt forecast to hit $192bn by 2028‑29, and no Victorian Labor government has ever secured a fourth term.

The party’s prospects were dented this week when Sam Groth, a high‑profile recruit and deputy leader, announced he would quit politics at the November election, citing infighting. Groth, a former professional tennis player who won Nepean in 2022 after receiving special dispensation to run, had risen quickly and become unpopular in the party room.

The Herald Sun published articles alleging Groth and his wife Brittany may have begun their relationship when she was underage; Groth sued for defamation and Brittany launched a test of a new statutory privacy tort. The matter was settled, the Herald Sun apologised, but its defence revealed an unnamed Liberal MP had been central to the story.

In his resignation statement Groth said: “The public pressure placed on my family in recent months has been significant and realising that some of it came from within my own party has been difficult to ignore.” Guardian Australia revealed there will be preselection challenges in March to MPs including Moira Deeming and Ann‑Marie Hermans, and a prospective candidate is being urged to run against Renee Heath.

Key Topics

Politics, Victorian Liberals, Jess Wilson, Sam Groth, Moira Deeming, Ann-marie Hermans