Matthew Guy tells Liberal MP Tim Smith’s to resign following drunken car crash

A disgraced Liberal MP has been told not to bother nominating for next year’s Victorian election following a drunken car crash.

A senior Victorian MP who crashed his car while more than twice over the legal blood-alcohol limit has been told not to bother recontesting the next state election.

Tim Smith resigned from the front bench and his position as the state’s attorney-general after he crashed his car into a Hawthorn home on Saturday, returning a blood alcohol reading of 0.131.

Opposition Leader Matthew Guy, who is a friend and close ally of Mr Smith, said he met with the reportedly distressed MP and made it clear he “wouldn’t find his way onto the frontbench of any parliamentary Liberal Party I lead”.

“I made it clear that I didn’t want him to nominate at the next election,” Mr Guy told reporters on Tuesday.

“I think he’s exceedingly remorseful, you know, this has potentially cost him his career and you would expect anyone in that position to be not just remorseful but certainly very sorry for what has occurred.”

Tim Smith has resigned from the front bench and his position as the state’s attorney-general. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Crosling

Police said Mr Smith crashed his car into a parked vehicle before ploughing into the wall of a family home on Saturday night.

He has lost his licence for 12 months.

The crash caused significant damage to the home’s wall, causing a crack in the interior plaster within the room where an eight year-old boy was sleeping.

While there is a slim chance of Mr Smith returning to the Victorian Liberal Party or realising his dream of becoming premier, there are now rumblings he could move on to federal parliament.

Asked whether Mr Smith had a drinking problem, Mr Guy said: “Absolutely not. Look, I think he’ll tell you that he’s had some issues emotionally, but for me none of that is ever an excuse.

“I don’t think anyone should get behind the wheel when they’ve been drinking.”

He said he wasn’t aware of Mr Smith receiving any professional help.

“You could talk about mental health, you could talk about lockdowns, you could talk about lots of things, but it doesn’t make it right,” Mr Guy said.

“He’s a friend of mine, not just a colleague, but I’m sorry, this is the right decision, the right way to go for the sake of the people of Victoria.”

A Victoria Police spokeswoman said Mr Smith blew an alcohol reading more than twice the legal limit after crashing into another car and a fence on Power St in Hawthorn.

Former premier Ted Baillieu was among Liberal Party elders who called on Mr Smith to consider his political future.

Mr Baillieu questioned whether Mr Smith had become too much of a liability to contest the 2022 Victorian election after shattering his reputation.

“It’s been a fairly spectacular implosion for somebody who, let’s say, has been a controversial figure on the Coalition side of politics,” he told ABC radio.

“But he has imploded. Fortunately, hasn’t hurt anybody, but I think his reputation is very much shattered. He now has to reflect on his own position.

Mr Baillieu said he expected Mr Smith would not recontest the next election.

“The chances are he will determine that that liability is unlikely to be lifted. He may go to the next election, but whether he recontests is a legitimate question,” he said.

Former premier Ted Baillieu said Mr Smith’s reputation had been shattered.

Earlier this week, Mr Guy said he believed Mr Smith could have led the party in the future and had been an asset to the Victorian Liberals.

Deputy leader David Southwick on Tuesday said he would be “a great loss” for the party.

“I was horrified, like we all were,” Mr Southwick said.

“Tim is a great performer, but at the end of the day Tim has responsibilities like all of us.

“When you do that there are consequences.”

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Originally published as Matthew Guy tells Liberal MP Tim Smith’s to resign following drunken car crash