Liberal leader John Pesutto Victorian leadership spill talks gain momentum

The man touted to potentially replace John Pesutto as Victorian Liberal leader has doused rumours of an imminent spill within the party.

Shannon Deery and Mitch Clarke

3 min read

May 28, 2023 - 5:25PM

Sunday Herald Sun

Members walk out during John Pesutto's speech at state council meeting

Victoria

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Shadow Treasurer Brad Rowswell has shut down talks that opposition leader John Pesutto could soon face a leadership spill.

Mr Rowswell, whose name has repeatedly been touted as a potential replacement as leader, ruled out challenging Mr Pesutto for the top job.

“John Pesutto will lead us to the 2026 Victorian election and I can’t say that any clearer,” he said.

The Herald Sun this weekend revealed talks of toppling Mr Pesutto have gained momentum in the week since he was booed and heckled at a party conference in Bendigo.

Dozens of members walked out on Pesutto before he addressed a crowd of hundreds at the State Council meeting in Bendigo, prompting the leader to call for party unity.

But despite repeated pleas, talks of a potential challenge to his leadership have escalated during the week.

Sources close to the leader’s office previously said Pesutto now believed it was now only a matter of time before he faced a challenge.

But they are confident he could see off any challenge and galvanise his support and authority within the party room.

Mr Pesutto addresses the Victorian Liberal State Council. Picture: David Crosling

Dozens walked out on Pesutto before he addressed the crowd. Picture: David Crosling

However, others say a challenge is inevitable but how and when it plays out remains a matter of contention among senior Liberals.

Sources have told the Sunday Herald Sun potential challengers believe a significant number of MPs would get behind a new leader.

They said the party room was now firmly divided in three factions: a conservative anti-Pesutto bloc, a more moderate bloc backing the leader and a third that remained indifferent to Pesutto.

It would take unity between the conservative bloc and the grouping that remains indifferent to Pesutto to stage a successful coup.

And it would take an agreement between the groups about who took prominence in a potential shadow cabinet reshuffle.

It is understood the conservative bloc also wants significant change to the wider leadership group which currently includes David Southwick, Georgie Crozier and Matt Bach.

David Southwick is a member of Pesutto’s wider leadership group. Picture: David Crosling

Shadow treasurer Brad Rowswell has been repeatedly named as a potential replacement for Pesutto.

However, party figures do not expect the loyal MP to mount a challenge.

Instead he would be more likely to run for the top job if a spill motion was successfully mounted by another MP.

Rowswell publicly distanced himself from any leadership ambitions this week.

However, multiple Liberal sources said there had been growing tensions between the shadow treasurer and Pesutto in recent weeks.

His absence from a key budget press conference this week and the fact he was not mentioned in a budget “week in review” email to members was noted by key Liberals.

Brad Rowswell has been repeatedly named as a potential replacement for Pesutto. Picture: Nicki Connolly

Pesutto was hailed as the Liberal Party’s great hope in the wake of the party’s stunning state election thumping in November.

But he won a leadership ballot by just a single vote.

His crusade to expel MP Moira Deeming from the parliamentary team has raised concerns about his political judgment.

While his backers say it has galvanised his support within the divided party room, his detractors say he has alienated grassroots members.

Some allies of the leader are concerned that what should be his “Praetorian guard”, his political office, are too indifferent to the growing discontent within the party.