Liberal MP Georgie Crozier demands Sam Groth explains why he used her chauffeur car after boozy day at Tennis
Liberal MP Georgie Crozier has demanded answers from Sam Groth over his use of her taxpayer-funded chauffeur car after a boozy day at the Australian Open, while Opposition leader Brad Battin has thrown his support behind his embattled deputy.
Victoria
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Liberal MP Georgie Crozier has demanded answers from embattled colleague Sam Groth and the party’s leadership team, saying she is “incredibly disappointed” by a growing expenses scandal.
Ms Crozier’s comments came as the Victorian Liberal Party’s deputy leader fronted media for the first time since the Herald Sun revealed he had charged taxpayers to stay in luxury hotels while attending sporting events, saying everything was “above board” and there was “nothing to see here”.
Opposition leader Brad Battin also threw his full support behind his deputy saying he is confident Mr Groth acted appropriately at all times.
The Herald Sun on Friday revealed Mr Groth used Ms Crozier’s chauffeur-driven vehicle to ferry him and his wife almost 100km home after a boozy day at the Australian Open.
“Sam needs to explain his actions, I can’t,” Ms Crozier said on Friday.
Ms Crozier said she wasn’t aware of exactly what had happened on the day, as she called for the details to be revealed.
“I don’t know the full details of what happened on the day,” she said.
“I think it’s up to the leadership to explain his actions.”
Ms Crozier, who revealed her frustrations as she arrived by herself to the opposition’s annual budget reply lunch, said Victorians “deserve a lot better” than the latest party scandal.
“There are people around the state who are in so much despair — the drought, cost of living, the issues around health,” she said.
“Every single Victorian I think deserves much better.”
Battin and Newbury back Groth
Mr Battin fronted the media on Friday after questions were raised about the use by Mr Groth of a taxpayer funded chauffeur car in January last year.
The vehicle was on loan from Ms Crozier, the former leader of the opposition in the upper house.
Under parliamentary rules the car could only be loaned for official parliamentary business.
Mr Battin said he was confident that despite spending the day at the tennis raising money for the Liberal Party that Groth had also met with stakeholders that fulfilled that requirement.
But he said he had not asked Mr Groth who he met with or probed the matter in any way.
“I couldn’t tell you the details of who he met with on the day...I haven’t had the discussion about who met with,” Mr Battin said.
“Going to events, and going and making sure we get business for Victorians, and making sure we can continue that relationship when we get into government, I expect Sam to do that each and every day.
“I’ll have those discussions with Sam. I’ll have the discussions internally with my team.
“Our expectations are quite simple, all MPs have rules and guidelines they have to follow.”
Pressed on what action he would take if he found any of his MPs had breached parliamentary rules, Mr Battin refused to say.
Shadow treasurer James Newbury on Friday said the infighting had to stop also backed Mr Groth.
“Only weak cowards comment anonymously. Every good Liberal wants to end this Labor government and white anting only helps Labor,’ he said.
“Enough is enough. Back our team or leave.”
New Groth expense claims emerge
Mr Groth faced renewed calls to stand down from leadership position after new expense claims were published on Friday, revealing another series of hotel room costs charged to taxpayers after he attended this year’s Australian Open and Grand Prix.
The revelations came as Mr Groth fronted the media for the first time since the Herald Sun revealed he had charged taxpayers to stay in luxury hotels while attending sporting events, saying everything was “above board” and there was “nothing to see here”.
The latest MP allowances cover January 2025 to March and reveal Mr Groth charged taxpayers for hotels after attending the Australian Open on two separate occasions in January.
He attended the Grand Prix and charged taxpayers $317 for a room.
He also attended Glamour on the Grid — the glam VIP launch party for the Formula 1 Grand Prix at Albert Park in Melbourne — and charged taxpayers another $317 for accommodation after the event.
The new expense claims published by the Victorian Parliament also revealed the cost of Mr Groth’s Valentine’s Day trip to South Australia, where he was accompanied by his wife and partied with influencer Bec Judd at a golf tournament.
The record shows that he paid $664 for flights and $998 for accommodation and expenses on the two-day trip.
One Liberal MP on Friday told the Herald Sun that Mr Groth was now the “Minister for Free Tickets”.
“It’s such a joke — and he is our second most senior member of the leadership team,” the minister said.
Another senior Liberal MP said a lot of party members “are not surprised”.
“Something like this was always going to happen, but it makes a mockery of our ability to hold the Allan Labor Government to account on the economy,” the MP said.
“Above board”: Groth denies wrongdoing
Mr Groth on Friday released a statement saying the expenses claimed were all “above board” and denied he was drunk after attending the Australian Open last year.
“In my role as a Shadow Minister, I have attended many sporting events in the past few years,” he said.
“At the Australian Open in 2024, I attended in both an official capacity and a personal one.
“I was at the event to meet various stakeholders and attend meetings before being part of a fundraising initiative.
“The accusations around intoxication are wrong.
“Everything was and is above board. It has all been officially disclosed. There is nothing to hide.”
However, Mr Groth did not address the claim that he misled Ms Crozier to access her chauffeur-driven vehicle after the event.
Arriving at a special post Liberal budget meeting at Society restaurant alongside colleague, Mr Groth said his taxpayer funded activities were “all public” and “all aboveboard”.
“I’ve fully disclosed everything that I do,” he said.
Mr Groth notably did not attend the Melbourne Autumn Ball hosted by the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Thursday night, despite him being on the guest list.
Liberal MPs Rachel Westaway, David Davis, Roma Britnell and Chris Crewther all refused to comment as they walked into the budget reply lunch.
Unlike the stream of nervous looking MPs who rushed into elevators with the help of a staffer, senior Liberal Party figure Michael Kroger was cool, calm and collected as he waltzed towards the venue.
“What’s going on here?” he asked as he spotted reporters.
But when asked whether the Liberal Party had lost its way, the former party present was quick to clamp up.
“Oh no, I don’t have any comment to make,” he said.
Asked what he thought of the ongoing Moira Deeming and John Pesutto battle, Mr Kroger said it was a “matter for the president, not for me”.
Originally published as Liberal MP Georgie Crozier demands Sam Groth explains why he used her chauffeur car after boozy day at Tennis
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