Matthew Guy promises voters the Liberal Party is ‘mainstream’

Victoria’s opposition leader has made a last-ditch pledge to the electorate following a string of controversies surrounding Liberal candidates.

Victorian Opposition Leader Matthew Guy has insisted the Liberal Party is “mainstream” with his campaign in recent days being plagued by controversial statements and associations of multiple candidates.

Speaking at the “Real Solutions Luncheon” on Monday, Mr Guy promised the Victorian Liberals were “safe” and “mainstream” after he was forced to distance himself from Liberal upper house candidate Renee Heath on the weekend for her connections of an ultraconservative Pentecostal church.

On Sunday, Mr Guy was on the backfoot again after comments made by Timothy Dragan, the Liberal candidate for Narre Warren North – who said Australia should not recognise Indigenous Australians because “we won this land fair and square” – were leaked.

Timothy Dragan, the Liberal candidate for the seat of Narre Warren North, made offensive comments regarding Indigenous Australians. Picture: Supplied

Premier Daniel Andrews and his deputy Jacinta Allan also accused the Victorian Opposition of preferencing “Nazis” before Saturday’s state election, the lead-up to which has grown increasingly acrimonious.

Independent MP Catherine Cumming has also been roundly criticised for comments she made at a rally over the weekend, at which she expressed a desire for Mr Andrews to be turned into “red mist” – a military term describing the moment a person is fatally shot.

The Coalition was also questioned on Monday after it was revealed the Nationals’ candidate for the West Gippsland seat of Narracan, Shaun Gilchrist, who was found dead over the weekend, was facing rape and sexual assault charges in the County Court of Victoria on Wednesday.

Renee Heath, Liberal upper house candidate, has links to an ultraconservative church and will not sit with the party if she is elected on Saturday. Picture: Facebook

In a carefully worded speech, Mr Guy addressed voters on Monday.

“We are safe; we are sensible,” he said.

“We are centrist, and mainstream.

“And you can trust me and my team with your vote next Saturday,” Mr Guy said.

MP Catherine Cumming drew criticism for expressing a desire to see Premier Daniel Andrews turned to “red mist” at a rally on the weekend.

In the speech, in which he spruiked what he called “without a doubt the most comprehensive policy agenda ever taken by an Opposition to a Victorian election” Mr Guy also said Saturday’s poll was “the most important for Victoria – ever”.

“Victoria really is at a sliding doors moment,” he said.

Mr Guy said he was growing increasingly confident of snatching victory in the face of difficulty, akin to “climbing Mount Everest without oxygen”.

“And here in Victoria, with Labor having been in Government for 19 of the past 23 years, it’s like doing it in a blizzard – going backward,” he said.

“But as Saturday approaches, the summit is now in sight and I am confident, with just a little more hard work, one final push, we will make it to the top.”

Originally published as Matthew Guy promises voters the Liberal Party is ‘mainstream’