Page 13: ‘Old school power players’ out in Liberal leadership crisis

A failed fishing trip has turned to mutiny for embattled Michael O’Brien. So could a moderate, a gay man or a woman be the one to push him out?

Can a moderate, a gay man or a woman be the one to push Michael O’Brien out of the Liberal leadership? Picture: Tim Carrafa

Cashed-up business honchos have become an alternative opposition in a desperate bid to breath life into Victoria’s State Liberal Party.

The business leaders are actively seeking a new wave of candidates outside of the “party faithful” and “old school power players” to take the fight to Daniel Andrews in the lead-up to next year’s state election.

Sick of rusted-on blue-tied Liberals merely wringing their hands, they are moving behind the scenes.

These movers and shakers are willing to delve deep into their pockets to break the party’s embarrassing losing cycle.

Once the jewel in the Liberal crown, the Victorian branch is now seen as a liability that hasn’t won an election since Ted Baillieu was premier.

Long gone are the glory days of Jeff Kennett as this high-profile group looks at parachuting several talented candidates into prime seats.

They believe Victorians are ready to vote with their feet following the Andrews Government’s draconian lockdown laws and COVID quarantine debacle.

Tim Smith, Mitch Catlin and Josh Frydenberg at the Buy Aussie Now launch. Picture: Tim Carrafa

Small businesses and the hospitality industry are haemorrhaging financially and willing to throw their support behind candidates for change.

Victoria is seen as the “shutdown state” with one Liberal insider noting: “They have never been handed a bigger opportunity, but the Andrew’s Government is getting away with it.

“We need someone with media cut-through to deliver a new message.”

The front runner to replace Michael O’Brien as leader is Matthew Guy.

But he is carrying the burden of an election loss and the fallout from Lobster Gate.

While still well-liked, the former Liberal leader attended an intimate dinner with an alleged Mafia boss willing to donate money to the party.

Guests at the dinner at the Lobster Cave restaurant in Beaumaris included a Liberal official who organised the ill-advised meeting and is still involved in the party despite attempts to move him on.

Following this and other political missteps, there is a growing push within the Liberals to challenge traditional preselection processes.

Former Attorney-General John Pesutto, who surprisingly lost his Hawthorn seat at the last election, is being encouraged to make a return to politics.

Pesutto, once considered a future leader of the Victorian party, has strong support and is odds-on to run again.

“I’m determined to do everything I can to get back and help Michael and the team,” Pesutto told Page 13.

“More importantly than ever, Victorians deserve a genuine choice at the next election.”

Sounds like political speak for “I’m running again.”

Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s adviser turned media hotshot, Peta Credlin, is at the top of a preselection wishlist.

But as one observer in the deepening divisions within the party observed: “Why on earth would she do it? Spring Street is small fry to her.”

One political observer questioned why Credlin would want the job when it’s “too small fry for her”. Picture: Richard Dobson

Meanwhile, an out of left-field prospect, former marketing and media executive at Myer and Swisse, Mitch Catlin, is understood to have been sounded out as a preselection candidate.

Catlin launched his new business, Buy Aussie Now, on Friday in Croydon at the Ministry of Chocolate.

Victoria’s most influential Liberal, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, opened the all-Aussie website.

Elsewhere in the crowd was Liberal MP Tim Smith and member for Croydon David Hodgett. Positively a Liberal love-in and no squabbling this time.

Frydenberg congratulated Catlin on his small business endeavour, which has the backing of caravan king Gerry Ryan to put focus back into local products, while referring to Catlin as a lifelong friend.

But when asked by Page 13 if Catlin would be making a tilt at politics, Frydenberg resisted stepping into state politics.

“I think he is going to be busy selling Aussie products to Aussies for a while,” Frydenberg said. “Those choices will be his.”

Catlin, who does a politically charged guest spot on Denis Walter’s evening program on 3AW, has made no secret of his opposition to what he calls “Dictator Dan’s” approach towards business.

Catlin’s no-holds-barred Instagram videos have gone viral and caught the

attention of many in the party who believe he could sharpen the party’s political edge.

Catlin lives in the much-sought after Nepean seat on the Mornington Peninsula and has widespread Melbourne connections.

That he is openly gay would appeal to Victoria’s Left-leaning middle sector, which the Liberals need to win back from Labor.

“Buy Aussie now is my main focus at the moment and helping to grow jobs at home, which has been done so well by Treasurer Frydenberg,” Catlin said when asked about the growing push to revitalise the party. Catlin already has the political smarts.

Pulling in a high-profile candidate to lead the party worked for the Queensland LNP, which recruited former Brisbane Lord Mayor Campbell Newman to lead them to election victory.

The Victorian Liberals are looking nervously to the Wild West where Labor Premier Mark McGowan is heading for a landslide election victory.

They fear what could be a similar loss under Michael O’Brien’s leadership.

Ironically, an attempt to shore up support with a fishing trip in the seat of Nepean ended up with some MPs refusing to get on board.

Now it’s mutiny with the embattled O’Brien left to walk the plank. Could a moderate, a gay man or a woman be the one to help push him off?