Labor backs crossbench MP’s call for shadow treasurer David Davis to resign

A no-confidence motion against David Davis has carried amid an ugly feud. Here’s what it means for the senior Liberal politician.

Shadow treasurer David Davis is under pressure to resign from the Legislative Council. Picture: David Crosling

A no-confidence motion against Shadow Treasurer David Davis has been carried, with former Liberal MP Bernie Finn voting against his colleague.

The motion, introduced by Transport Matters MP Rod Barton, passed 21 votes to nine.

It called on Mr Davis to resign as the Opposition’s leader in the Legislative Council.

Labor government MPs all backed the motion along with cross benchers Fiona Patten, Jeff Bourman and Andy Meddick.

Mr Finn, who was voted our of the parliamentary Liberal party, also voted with them.

The final vote came after a bitter parliamentary debate in which Labor MPs attacked Mr Davis’ character.

Liberal MPs said the motion was a “cheap political stunt”.

Its understood the vote will not force Mr Davis to resign his position, but the Opposition will now face pressure about its response.

It comes after the Andrews government backed a crossbench MP’s motion to oust Mr Davis from the role.

Rod Barton, of the Transport Matters Party, has put forward a motion in the Victorian parliament calling on the Liberal MP to resign as the Opposition’s leader in the Legislative Council.

“The House calls on Mr Davis to resign as Leader of the Opposition in the Council for his outrageous behaviour,” the motion reads.

In his reasons, he points to two occasions where Mr Davis’ behaviour while drinking has come under fire.

He also accused Mr Davis of misleading the upper house while attacking his character.

Senior Labor Minister Jaala Pulford on Wednesday confirmed upper house government ministers would support the motion.

Transport Matters Party MP Rod Barton has put forward a motion calling for David Davis to resign. Picture: Paul Jeffers

“Mr Davis’ attack on Rod Barton in our chamber was completely and utterly out of line,” Ms Pulford said.

“Mr Barton’s motion, that we’ll be supporting today, is about appalling assertions and allegations made that are … completely inappropriate.

“If Mr Davis believes what he has said to be true, he should have the courage to say it outside of the Parliament and we encourage him to do that if that’s what he thinks.”

Ms Pulford said Mr Davis’s conduct was “unbecoming of a Member of Parliament”.

By introducing the motion to parliament, Victoria’s upper house politicians debated the issue on Wednesday.

Labor’s support would put the motion within a few votes of passing.

It comes after a stoush between the Mr Barton and Mr Davis over the government’s pandemic legislation, which was passed last year.

Davis with Liberal leader Matthew Guy. Picture: David Crosling

Bad blood between the two first emerged earlier in August when Mr Davis used parliament to call on the Transport Matters MP to explain why he had changed his vote on Victoria’s pandemic laws.

The Andrews government was one vote short of passing the legislation late in 2021 and needed one more crossbench vote to pass a deadlock.

After a protracted wait, Mr Barton agreed to support the Bill with amendments.

Mr Davis alleges Mr Barton then became the only MP to receive a donation from the Victorian Trades Hall Council, of about $3000, and that this group is aligned with the Labor Party.

He calls for the MP to say whether “his change of voting pattern is a result of being corruptly bought off” and whether the parties have preference arrangements for the election.

Mr Barton has denied any allegations of wrongdoing and that the donation was linked to his decision.

This week, he hit back at Mr Davis by introducing the motion for him to resign.