Michael O’Brien elected Liberal leader, Cindy McLeish deputy in wake of state election drubbing

The Liberals have elected a new leader — promising a new day for the party — following the Coalition’s state election drubbing.

Michael O'Brien will lead the liberal party. Picture: AAP/David Crosling

Victoria’s Liberal Party will shift back to “the centre of the ground”, former treasurer Michael O’Brien promised today, after being elected to lead a demoralised state Opposition.

Mr O’Brien was voted in as Liberal party leader. Eildon MP Cindy McLeish will serve as his deputy.

He will take the reins from Matthew Guy, who resigned after last month’s electoral drubbing. Mr Guy refused to confirm whether he would remain in parliament.

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Mr O’Brien said the landslide election loss would force the Liberal Party “to be better”, and return to the centre of politics. The Coalition was accused of lurching too far to the Right.

Mr O’Brien said the state Liberals would stand for individual freedom, reward for effort, support for vulnerable Victorians, and “environmental stewardship”.

“A majority of scientists say climate change is happening and a majority of scientists say that humans are contributing to it,” he said.

“So let’s not have an argument over whether it’s happening. Let’s have a debate about how we can best address it.

“This is a new day for the Liberal Party. This is a fresh start for the Liberal Party.

“We want to make sure that on all those issues Victorians care about, the Liberal Party will be there,” he said.

Matthew Guy stood down as leader in the wake of the Coalition’s state election drubbing. Picture: AAP

Mr O’Brien said the re-elected Andrews Government had already shown signs of arrogance and the opposition would hold them to account over the next four years.

He also promised to “take stock” and return to centre politics following the election loss.

“We will make sure we will engage in a contest of ideas,” he said.

“We want to make sure that on all those issues Victorians care about, the Liberal Party will be there.

“We will be coming up with better alternatives, better options, better ways to take this state forward.”

The Victorian Liberals’ new leadership team

They’ve promised a shift back to centre politics after a “humbling” election drubbing #springst

Party leader: @michaelobrienmp
Deputy: @CindyMcLeishMP

Leader in the Legislative Council: @DavidDavisMLC
Deputy: @georgiecrozier pic.twitter.com/MjjmZjfuR7

— Monique Hore (@moniquehore) December 6, 2018

Mr O’Brien said he had not spoken to Mr Guy about his future, but that the former leader would have a position on the Liberal frontbench if he wanted it.

Mr Guy said little as he headed into parliament today, instead telling media: “You can have a chat to the new leader, thanks everyone.”

He said nothing as he left.

Mr O’Brien was an instant leadership frontrunner after the landslide election loss to Labor, alongside former shadow attorney-general John Pesutto.

His path cleared when Mr Pesutto was beaten by Labor’s John Kennedy in the traditionally blue-riband seat of Hawthorn, in one of the biggest upsets of the election.

The party also elected a new leadership team in the Legislative Council.

Seymour MP Cindy McLeish was voted deputy leader.

David Davis will take over as leader from Mary Wooldridge, with Georgie Crozier elected deputy to take over from Gordon Rich-Phillips.

A series of Liberal MPs, including Mr O’Brien, called for the party to undergo an overhaul after the election wipe-out.

The Liberal Party will hold just 20 seats in the lower house, compared to Labor’s 57.

“What we lack in quantity, we make up for in quality,” Mr O’Brien said.

“It’s going to be a difficult road but today we make a start.”

But Mornington MP David Morris told media that a party could not be elected if it strayed too far from centre, while upper house MP Mary Wooldridge said that it could be time for a “big shift back to the centre”.

Newly-elected deputy leader, Ms McLeish, said she had a strong background in “leadership, organisational development, organisational effectiveness and also the perspective of a female”.

Mr O’Brien would not be drawn on whether the party needed to introduce quotas for female MPs, saying: “I’m far more interested in outcomes than I am in mechanics.”

New Victorian Liberal leader Michael O'Brien. Picture: AAP/David Crosling

Upper House Liberal MP Bernie Finn raised eyebrows this morning when he blamed Labor and the Greens for the Liberals’ lack of female MPs.

When asked what the Liberal Party could do about getting more women into the upper house Mr Finn replied: “If the Labor Party and the Greens want to have more women in the Liberal Party what they should have done is not defeat them.”

Mr Finn’s bizarre comments come as the party opens its review of the election loss, led by Liberal elder Tony Nutt.

Mr Nutt told Liberals he expected to have completed his report by January 31, with face-to-face and phone call interviews to begin this week.

The review will look at “preparations through the four year term by all elements of the Party”, as well as “the election campaign” and the “strategic, political, social and economic challenges and opportunities facing Victorian Liberals”.

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Premier Daniel Andrews — again speaking about the government’s big building infrastructure agenda today — said the new Leader of Liberal Party was a matter for his opponents.

“Who they choose to lead them is not my job... they are completely irrelevant to my positive plan, not just in the election campaign but each and every day,” he said.

He said the Victorian people had given him a mandate and he would not take that for granted.

Taking a swipe at the Liberal Party’s lack of diversity Mr Andrews said the Labor Party had undergone cultural change to attract more women and minorities as MPs.

“They can explain why these things had not been a priority for them, that’s on them.”

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