Michael O’Brien: What Victorian Liberals need do to win next state election

Opposition Leader Michael O’Brien has declared “whinging doesn’t win elections” and detailed what his party must do to gain power.

Opposition Leader Michael O'Brien in a rooftop bar opposite Victorian Parliament building, Melbourne Picture: Josie Hayden

Opposition Leader Michael O’Brien has declared his party must do better if it wants to win the next state election.

Declaring that “whinging doesn’t win elections”, the former treasurer said the Liberals had a long road to win but believes everyday Victorians will vote for change if they see positive policies.

While he does not regret attacks on the state government over the past year, Mr O’Brien told the Sunday Herald Sun he cannot rely on the advice of some within the party to focus on the failings of hotel quarantine to beat Premier Daniel Andrews.

“We’ve got to do more work as a party to explain to people what our values are,” Mr O’Brien said.

“To my mind, Liberal values reflect the values of a lot of Victorians but we haven’t always done a very good job as a part of explaining who we are and what we’re about.

“We genuinely believe in equality of opportunity. If you support the values and you’re prepared to work hard you’ve got the right to do better for yourself.”

Opposition Leader Michael O'Brien and Roma Britnell at Westernport Marina during a Victorian LNP conference. Picture: Aaron Francis

Mr O’Brien said it had been hard for opposition parties to capture the public’s attention in a pandemic.

“But whinging doesn’t win you votes and it doesn’t win you elections,” he said.

“Ideas win you elections and doing it better than the current government.

“One silver lining in the pandemic is Liberal party membership has increased really strongly over the last 12 months.

Michael O'Brien speaks to the media during a press conference in Melbourne. Picture: Daniel Pockett

“We’ve seen not just a lot more renewals but a lot more new members coming in and a lot of them are from areas that have not been traditional Liberal areas.

“That says to me there are people right across Victoria who are looking for a better alternative and I don’t want to let them down.”

The next 18 months will be a long road for the Irish Catholic, a David vs Goliath battle against a popular Premier and a lion’s den of internal tussling within the Victorian Liberal organisation.

Mr O’Brien said the failed leadership coup from within his own party was a “boil that needed to be lanced” and he would use the clear air to put forward his platform.

Policies already announced include an intention to rip up the Belt and Road agreement with China, to eliminate waste going to landfill by 2035 and a commitment to build the East West Link after it was spiked in 2018.

But the Opposition leader also wants to provide the doctors and nurses needed to slash hospital waiting lists, support struggling small businesses crying for help and to revive the state as a leader in education.

More policies will be announced in coming weeks and Mr O’Brien said he wouldn’t wait for an election campaign to give voters a picture of what he would do as Premier.

Andrews Government policies will also create headaches for the Liberals, with Labor likely to jump on differences over a treaty with Aboriginal Victorians, the make-up of the public service and funding for mental health reforms, which Mr O’Brien has committed to, without a new levy.

“I didn’t get into politics to bag Labor,” he said.

“I got into politics because I reckon we can do better.”

Michael O'Brien speaks during Question Time at Victoria Parliament in Melbourne, Victoria. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Daniel Pockett

While he is a former barrister and the Member for Malvern, Mr O’Brien was also raised by a single parent, was a short-time basketball umpire and is a lifetime Carlton tragic.

He joined the Liberals at 18 during the Cain and Kirner years, without knowing anyone in the party, because he believed Victorians were not being given the chance to seize their potential.

“I’m not your typical Liberal but the values the Liberal party stood for were my values,” Mr O’Brien said.

“I remember going for a part-time job at a new restaurant and there were about 150 kids my age trying for openings for about six people.

“I wanted to stand up and do something.

“It is the same instinct I have now. I’m sick of seeing the problems in Victoria. I want the opportunity to fix them.”

Mr O’Brien said small businesses were screaming for help and that the current Labor government was too focused on working with large companies on major projects and other programs.

“You walk down any high street or shopping strip and every third or fourth shop is vacant,” he said.

“We need small business to be strong if we’re going to get back.

“It’s about making sure that this is a state where you can own a business, work in a business and know there’s a good future.”

Michael O’Brien arrives at parliament flanked by supporters before a spill motion against him. Picture: David Crosling

WHERE TO NEXT?

Former Premier Jeff Kennett has been weighing up a run for the presidency of the Victorian Liberal Party but is not expected to do so unless he can step into the role without further infighting.

Even if he stays out of the fray, it’s likely Labor will target the Mr O’Brien over whether the Liberals would cut public service jobs or frontline staff.

The Opposition Leader said this was a misconception and the Coalition wanted to focus on removing waste such cost blowouts on major projects.

“If we want to fix Labour’s public hospital waiting lists scandal we’re going to need more doctors, more nurses,” he said.

“If we’re going to fix the problems in our state education system we’re going to need more teachers and more aids to support kids with learning disabilities.

“I’m not interested in cutting jobs, I’m only interested in cutting waste … That’s the difference between a Labour government and a Liberal government.”

LEADERSHIP

When asked about his pitch to Victorians, Mr O’Brien said he had a different leadership style to Daniel Andrews, whose office is thought to be very centrally controlled.

“I’m more consultative. I’m more prepared to listen,” he said.

“Once you do your listening, once you get your facts right, you’ve got to make a decision and you’ve got to make it happen.

“I’m happy to stand up and have a fight with Labor on issues where I think they’re wrong. I’m not interested in fighting for the sake of it but I will fight for Victoria where I think that the current government is getting it wrong.”

UNLOCKING VICTORIA’S POTENTIAL

“It is as simple and it is as complicated as this, Victoria has not reached its potential,” Mr O’Brien said.

“Labor’s run out of energy and its run out of ideas.

“We’ve got the best state in the country and we’ve got the best potential. I want to work with Victoria to realise that potential and get us back to where we need to be.

“I love Victoria but I look around and I see the damage that was done around the place last year and I know that we can be so much better than we are.”

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