Sam Groth’s bombshell resignation from John Pesutto’s shadow cabinet may spark leadership spill

Rebel Victorian Liberal MPs want to oust their beleaguered leader, John Pesutto, in chaos that has erupted after the shock resignation of shadow minister and ex top sportsman, Sam Groth.

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The Liberal Party has again been thrown into chaos with furious MPs plotting against embattled leader John Pesutto, following the bombshell resignation of shadow minister Sam Groth.

Rebel MPs are pushing to hold a special partyroom meeting to overthrow Mr Pesutto, but several other party figures said there are no clear signs that a challenge would be successful.

The internal warring was sparked immediately after Mr Groth, who declared to the Herald Sun in July that he wanted to be Premier, on Friday quit Mr Pesutto’s front bench.

He said that decision was made after Mr Pesutto refused to stand down as leader following a Federal Court judgement that declared he defamed exiled MP Moira Deeming.

Sam Groth has resigned from John Pesutto’s front bench. Picture: Tony Gough

Some senior Liberals who had been lobbying prominent shadow cabinet members to stand down hope Mr Groth’s resignation will fatally damage Mr Pesutto’s leadership and encourage a spill.

If an MP wants to launch a challenge on Mr Pesutto’s leadership, they must provide a petition with the signatures of five MPs and then five days’ notice to call a special party room meeting.

MPs said there is a widely held view they’d easily get to five votes – enough to call the meeting – but getting the 16 votes needed to oust Mr Pesutto would be more difficult.

“Getting five will be easy but it’s getting to the magic 16,” one Liberal figure said.

“They’re close but they’re not there yet.”

Some MPs on Friday afternoon believed a spill was imminent, with one saying a challenge next week was “more likely than not”.

One senior Liberal said if the meeting was to take place in the week before Christmas, MPs might “rock up in their Santa outfits and reindeer ears”.

Outspoken Liberal MP Bev McArthur called for Mr Pesutto to “do the honourable thing” and resign as she applauded Mr Groth for taking a stand.

She thanked Mr Groth for “doing what’s right” as she suggested other shadow ministers could follow his lead.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if other shadow ministers find their position untenable,” she said.

“Everyone should draw on their own conscience and work out what’s right.

“You can’t just let something like this go through the keeper.”

Mrs McArthur said if Mr Pesutto was “so confident that he is in the right he should call for a vote and prove it”, adding “people are angry”.

Mr Groth resigned from the front bench on Friday afternoon, saying he couldn’t serve under Mr Pesutto after his refusal to quit as leader in the wake of the damning Federal Court ruling.

Opposition Leader John Pesutto with former shadow minister for tourism, sport and events Sam Groth. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Mr Groth says he can no longer continue to serve in the role. Picture: Tony Gough

In a statement, the former Aussie tennis ace said: “It is with regret that, following yesterday’s Federal Court judgment against John Pesutto and his subsequent decision to remain as Liberal leader, I have decided to resign from his front bench. In good conscience, I can no longer continue to serve in this role.”

It’s understood Mr Groth and Mr Pesutto have fallen out in recent months after Mr Groth became more outspoken about his leadership ambitions.

Some party sources have said Mr Groth’s resignation will have no impact on Mr Pesutto and have blasted the move as a “tantrum”.

If Mr Pesutto’s leadership survives the scandal, they say Mr Groth may have just blown up his career.

Party figures believe the “uncertainty around John” won’t necessarily translate into “support for Sam”.

Sam Groth is a former Australian tennis player. Picture: Tony Gough

“This action shows Sam was never mature enough to lead the party. We all knew it and he’s just proved it,” one MP said, while another added: “Politics is a team sport and he is clearly not a team player.”

Mr Pesutto on Thursday insisted that not one colleague had raised concerns with him or asked him to quit following the judgement.

“I’m continuing on in this role … What members wish to do is entirely their prerogative but I’m not aware of any such steps being taken,” he said.

Former Liberal Party strategist Tony Barry said: “The Victorian deficit has blown out by another $1.4bn and once again Victorian Liberals are talking about Victorian Liberals.”

Mr Groth said his loyalty remained with Liberal Party members, the people of Nepean and all Victorians.

“I will continue to represent them and work alongside my colleagues to develop the vision and policies we will take to the election in November 2026,” he said.

But one MP said Mr Groth had proved to be “only about himself”.

“Politics is a team sport and he is clearly not a team player,” he said.