Liberal Party’s administrative committee meeting to discuss MP Renee Heath’s future

An influential Liberal who tried to shut down reporting of Renee Heath’s ties to a controversial church has resigned from the party.

An influential Liberal who tried to shut down reporting of newly elected MP Renee Heath’s ties to a controversial church has resigned from the party.

David Lau resigned from the Liberal Party on Thursday ahead of a move to expel him at a meeting of the party’s administrative committee.

Mr Lau was caught using a false identity to try and shut down reporting of Ms Heath’s ties to her father Brian’s City Builders Church.

“He resigned when it became clear the vote (to expel him) was going to pass,” a source said.

“It gives him the option of coming back without requiring the approval of the Party’s State Assembly.”

Ahead of the meeting there was speculation the future of Ms Heath’s involvement with the party was to be a key item, threatening to ignite a bitter factional war.

David Lau.

In a statement issued on Friday Mr Lau said he resigned “as a result of a factional attack”.

“I accept that I have been challenged by some poor decisions in recent weeks, but the party has some very important lessons to learn from our very disappointing campaign,” he said.

“I will always defend our candidates. However, I know there are better ways to do so.

“I have appreciated the support I have received in recent days from a number of people in the organisation and I look forward to supporting the party, in any way I can, moving forward.”

Concerns about Ms Heath’s involvement with the City Builders Church resurfaced during the Victorian election campaign.

The Herald Sun first reported in May concerns that the church, founded by Ms Heath’s father Brian, was working to infiltrate Victorian politics.

Ms Heath has repeatedly distanced herself from the church and denied claims she was a supporter of gay conversion therapy and other extreme practices.

After being preselected by the party, former leader Matthew Guy said he would seek to expel Ms Heath from his party room over her links to the church.

His resignation as leader was understood to have killed off any desire to boot Ms Heath from the party room.

Some Liberal sources had expected a motion to expel Ms Heath to be moved, however several senior sources said that was not the case.

A senior Liberal source said any move to try and expel Ms Heath from the party room would be seen as an affront to the party’s upcoming leadership ballot.

Renee Heath has distanced herself from the City Builders Church. Picture: Facebook

Matthew Guy resigned as leader after the election loss. Picture: David Caird

Supporters of Brad Battin, who is understood to have won the support of the party’s conservative arm, said any move to expel Ms Heath would be seen as an attempt to weaken that support.

“This will affect support for John Pesutto negatively,” they said.

“Why go to war before a leadership ballot? It’s beyond me.”

Speaking to the Herald Sun last month, Ms Heath denied being an agent of the City Builders Church.

Ms Heath said her views aligned with those of the Liberal Party, including a firm belief in the separation of church and state.

“My faith is personal,” she said.

“I stand both by my position as a person of faith and as a Member of the Liberal Party.

“If it is not possible to be a member of a Christian Church and a Parliamentary representative at the same time then Australia is at the crossroads of becoming an intolerant society where we have effectively expunged freedom of religion and association.”

Liberal Party leadership race tightens

Returning Liberal MP John Pesutto and shadow police minister Brad Battin will face off in a fight for the party’s leadership.

The two-horse race emerged as member for Polwarth, Richard Riordan, on Thursday withdrew from the challenge and threw his support behind close ally Mr Battin.

“The Liberal Party needs to appeal to our outer metropolitan growth areas and regional cities,” Riordan wrote on Twitter.

“Our leadership reset with Brad Battin, an experienced outer suburban member, will help drive this.”

Both Mr Battin and Mr Pesutto believe they have the numbers to secure the top job.

Liberal sources said while there was broad support for Mr Pesutto, he could struggle to appeal to the party’s newly elected MPs.

John Pesutto is in the running for the leadership of the Liberal Party. Picture: David Crosling

“As more of them are declared, the numbers keep moving away from him,” one source said.

“Brad is well placed to beat Pesutto. It’s not a slam dunk but he is a better shot than Richard was.”

Sources said Mr Riordan, who is aligned with the party’s conservative MPs, came under pressure to pull out of the race overnight and back Mr Battin.

“There’s a strong ‘anyone but John’ vibe gathering on that side of the party room,” a source said.

“The issue was Richard had the numbers to survive the first round, but not win against Pesutto.”

Sources said one of the very clear messages from the election was that the Liberal Party needed to do a better job connecting to regional communities.

It included taking the focus of the party away from inner suburban seats like Mr Pesutto’s Hawthorn electorate.

A source says shadow police minister Brad Battin is well placed to take the role. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

“One of the most important ways to ensure that regional voices are heard is to have a regional MP in the leadership,” a source said.

“While John Pesutto may be presented by some as the moderate salve to the recent electoral burn the Party has received, he is heavy with political baggage from the Baillieu era that many right-of-centre members of the Party will find it hard to move past.

“Surely after such a disappointing result, there is no better time to invest in the future.

“Now is not the time to look to the past for leadership. Whatever we’ve been doing clearly isn’t working.”

Incoming member for Kew, Jess Wilson, has reportedly told colleagues she would not nominate for a deputy leader position.

Member for Western Victoria Region Bev McArthur is understood to be considering throwing her hat in the ring to lead the party in the upper house.

Several Liberal sources said both Georgie Crozier and Mr Bach could also be considered to replace David Davis.

The party is expected to meet next Wednesday.