Vic Liberals boss resigned a month out from eleciton disaster

The Tasmanian-based director of the Victorian Liberal Party resigned from the top job a month before the party’s disastrous election showing.

Sam McQuestin has quit as the state director of the Victorian Liberal Party. Picture: Richard Jupe

The state director of the Victorian Liberal Party resigned from the top job a month ahead of the election, it has been revealed.

Weeks after the Herald Sun first reported the party’s election campaign was in disarray, Sam McQuestin told party officials he would quit regardless of the election result.

Several Liberal sources said Mr McQuestin had tried to quit earlier but was urged to stay on until the election.

Lousie Staley, who looks set to lose the seat of Ripon, is already being discussed as a potential replacement.

Several senior Liberal sources said Jeff Kennett had been pushing the idea of Ms Staley taking over the role.

“In Louise you’ve got a very intelligent, moderate, woman who understands Victoria better than a lot of people within the Victorian Liberal parliamentary team,” one source said.

“She understands the failures of the party internally, and understands what MPs have to do for local campaigns.

Louise Staley, who is fighting to hold on to the seat of Rippon, is tipped as a potential replacement. Picture: Sarah Matray

“She understands fundraising and she understands accountability which has been lacking among the majority of MPs.”

While Ripon is set to be won by Labor candidate Martha Haylett, Ms Staley secured a swing toward the Liberal Party.

But it is unlikely to be enough to win the seat, which became notionally Labor following this year’s redistribution of electoral boundaries.

“There’s a pretty broad cross section of support for Louise,” another source said.

“She’s run a marginal seat, she knows what candidates need, and she has the insight of having been an MP.”

Mr McQuestin leaves the top job after three years.

He served as the director of the Tasmanian branch of the party since 2011, with his Tasmanian links sparking fierce internal criticism in the lead-up to Saturday’s election.

Critics complained that both he and deputy Brad Stansfield had been spending too much time in Tasmania, and did not properly understand Victoria.

Eyebrows were raised when McQuestin boasted at a party conference that everything was on track to win the upcoming “Tasmanian” election.

“Fly in fly out workers might suit the mining industry, but it doesn’t work in the campaign director industry,” one senior Liberal said.

Mr McQuestin’s resignation followed an exodus of staff in early October.

Former deputy state director Scott Samson was among a string of officers forced out of the party amid a major restructure.

One senior figure described the bloodletting as “imposed repair” after years of chaos.

Senior campaign adviser Ashley Mackinnon was demoted, while several electorate campaign officers were also booted.

It followed the resignation of Matthew Guy’s chief of staff Mitch Catlin in a donations laws scandal.

“On the 21st October this year, I advised the Party’s remuneration committee (which includes the State President) that I would not be continuing on as state director, regardless of the election outcome,” Mr McQuestin said in a statement.

“While the election result was not what we wanted, it is a credit to the campaign team.

“Clearly, the Victorian Division of the Party is facing some significant challenges and I wish my successor, whoever they may be, all the very best.”

In an email to members state president Greg Mirabella said there was a need for fundamental reform of the state division.

“Our overall result is not what we wanted,” he said.

“Any loss is tough. This one is tougher because we were all imbued with a dedication to change the government of this state, and an expectation that we could make serious inroads.

“We achieved neither.”

Originally published as Vic Liberals boss resigned a month out from eleciton disaster