Failed candidate David Vincent launches audacious bid to oust Matthew Guy

A candidate who secured just 214 votes at the state election hopes to oust Matthew Guy, claiming he’s “not fit” to sit in parliament.

A failed candidate has launched an audacious bid to oust Mattew Guy from parliament. Picture: David Crosling

An independent candidate who lost to Matthew Guy in Bulleen has launched an audacious bid to have the former opposition leader thrown out of parliament.

David Vincent has filed a petition with the Supreme Court declaring Mr Guy is “not a fit and proper person to sit in parliament”.

Mr Vincent, who described himself as a “person of unimpeachable integrity”, is asking the court to make him the member for Bulleen instead.

The former ATO public ­officer told the Herald Sun it was a “terribly unique” case.

“In a nutshell, I don’t think Matthew Guy is a fit and proper candidate and I would be a better one,” he said.

Mr Vincent received the lowest first preference vote in Bulleen, snagging just 214 votes – or 0.5 per cent of the total count – compared to Mr Guy’s 20,645.

His disastrous election result placed him behind other independent hopeful Sanjeev Sabhlok, Animal Justice Party candidate Elnaz Jafari and Family First Victoria’s Jason Stokes on the first preference count.

Mr Guy won 48.1 per cent of first preferences, with Labor’s candidate Ian Rogers only managing to pick up 32.7 per cent.

“If Matthew was disqualified then his preferences would flow through,” Mr Vincent said in his petition.

“Although this would probably elect a different minor candidate, I am asking the court to appoint me.”

Mr Vincent pointed to a string of controversies that have plagued Mr Guy’s career, including his decision to rezone farmland on Phillip Island while planning minister between 2010 and 2014.

He also took aim at the infamous Lobster with a Mobster scandal, and recent allegations involving his former chief of staff Mitch Catlin who allegedly asked a party donor to donate more than $100,000 to his private business.

That matter has been referred to IBAC.

In court documents, Mr Vincent claims Mr Guy should also be disqualified as How to Vote Cards were not approved, and sandwich boards were erected at pre-poll stations, which he labelled a “technical violation of the advertising rule”.

Mr Vincent, who resides in California Gully near Bendigo, also wants a judge to order that he be appointed the Speaker of the Assembly or President of the Council so that he can “clear up the mess” in what he has described as a corrupt parliament.

“The joint report of the Ombudsman and IBAC Operation Watts highlighted corruption in Victoria and their limited options to deal with it,” Mr Vincent wrote.

The Liberal Party on Wednesday night declined to provide a comment on Mr Vincent’s legal action.

The Victorian Electoral Commission was contacted for comment.