Liberal MP Tim Smith returning to parliament after announcing he would quit at state election

Liberal MP Tim Smith is returning to Victorian parliament three months after announcing he was quitting politics in the wake of a drink-driving crash.

Drink drive MP Tim Smith will return to parliament on Tuesday, three months after announcing he was quitting politics.

The Liberal MP has kept a low public profile since announcing his decision to quit at this year’s state election following a horror drink drive crash in October.

Mr Smith crashed his Jaguar into a family home in Hawthorn after having “too many” wines and recording a BAC of .131.

Opposition leader Matthew Guy confirmed Mr Smith would be back at work this week for the first time since he fronted a press conference following the crash.

“He has a job to do and he’ll be coming to parliament,” he said.

“He wants to come back, he’s got a job to do, and he’s expected to do it and he wants to do it.

“I’m very pleased he’s coming back.”

Tim Smith speaks to the media at Parliament House in Melbourne after his crash. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Mr Smith, who has represented the electorate of Kew since 2014, was one of Mr Guy’s closest advisers before the drink drive incident.

But several Liberal sources told the Herald Sun the pair fell out in the fallout of the crash.

In particular Mr Guy was said to be furious over controversy sparked by Mr Smith’s own contradictory statements about the lead-up to the incident.

In a statement issued shortly after the crash he said he had been at a dinner with friends and didn’t think he was over the limit before getting behind the wheel of his car.

He later said he had just “a couple” of wines before later admitting he had ““quite a few glasses of wine”.

He also last said he hadn’t eaten all day.

Sources close to the event rubbished his claims, saying he had been “smashing cocktails” with a small group of people at the home of a prominent QC.

During a 70-minute press conference Mr Smith said repeatedly referred to himself as an idiot, and said he deserved a second chance over the incident.

Mr Smith, who was shadow Attorney-General at the time, resigned after losing the support of his state MP colleagues who urged him to quit.

Tim smith addresses the media after his drink-driving charge. Picture: David Crosling

It included Mr Guy who faced intense pressure from Victorian Liberals, including Commonwealth ministers, to let Mr Smith remain as a backbencher.

“I made it clear to him (Mr Smith) that I didn’t want him to nominate for the next election and that I didn’t believe he should nominate for the seat of Kew,” Mr Guy said at the time.

“Enough damage has been done,” he said.

Senior Liberals have harboured fears Mr Smith could spark a potentially damaging byelection in Kew by quitting parliament early.

Jess Wilson, a Business Council of Australia adviser and former political staffer in Josh Frydenberg’s office, has been preselected to contest the blue-riband seat.

She beat leader of the opposition in the upper house David Davis in a hotly contested preselection battle.

Mr Smith could not be reached for comment.