State Liberal MPs back veteran minister for leadership challenge

STATE Liberal MPs are throwing support behind ­former Howard Government minister Peter Reith in his bid to topple state party president Michael Kroger

Peter Reith at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute Conference at QT Hotel in Canberra. Picture Kym Smith

• Peter Reith tipped to take on Kroger

STATE Liberal MPs are throwing support behind ­former Howard Government minister Peter Reith in his bid to topple state party president Michael Kroger.

The public show of support comes after Opposition Leader Matthew Guy made the extraordinary move to openly back Mr Reith in his challenge against veteran Liberal heavyweight Mr Kroger.

The showdown has exposed divisions within the party that could become bitter in the weeks ahead.

The Herald Sun this week approached senior Liberals to see where they stood in the battle.
Gembrook MP Brad Battin said he supported Mr Guy’s position “100 per cent’’ and would welcome a new Victorian party president.

“Peter Reith has been in the party a long time and has stood up for Liberal values in the past, which I support,’’ Mr Battin said.

Leader of the opposition in the upper house, Mary Wooldridge also backed change.

“I will be supporting Peter Reith,’’ she said.

Veteran Liberal heavyweight Michael Kroger. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

Other MPs supporting Mr Reith include Edward O’Donohue, Georgie Crozier, David Southwick, Nick Wakeling and deputy Liberal leader David Hodgett.

But a number of state Liberal MPs have chosen to keep quiet saying they ``do not discuss internal party matters’’.

No one was willing to publicly back Mr Kroger, but it is expected the public show of support for Mr Reith from Mr Guy’s ministers will anger some of his supporters.

Mr Kroger became president in 2015 after former state Liberal MP Andrea Coote, who had been backed by Guy, withdrew due to a lack of support.

At the time Mr Kroger had a strong backing from federal colleagues, however last month questions were raised about his leadership after he began a war with directors of the Cormack Foundation, who are withholding about $500,000 over internal party governance concerns.

It is also understood some Liberal party members are not happy with Mr Kroger’s behaviour during recent preselection contests in Victoria.

Mr Reith has remained quiet on why he has chosen to challenge for the presidency.

Apart from Mr Guy, he is expected to be supported by former premier Jeff Kennett and federal frontbenchers Kelly O’Dwyer, Scott Ryan and Mitch Fifield.

Mr Kroger’s supporters include federal MPs Greg Hunt, Josh Frydenberg, Michael Sukkar, and Alan Tudge.

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