Liberal MP Ryan Smith maps out plan to win back from Labor’s Dan Andrews after Victorian election

Former banker turned MP, Ryan Smith says he can build a foundation for the defeated Liberals to win government again.

Ryan Smith was one of the few Liberal MPs to increase their vote during the weekend electiond. Picture: Wayne Taylor.

A Liberal MP representing Melbourne’s outer northeast, Ryan Smith said his party needs to target fast-growing suburbs as it rebuilds to be in a position to win government again, after the thumping loss in Victoria’s weekend state election.

The former banker, who was a Minister in the Baillieu/Napthine government and most recently shadow finance Minister, confirmed his intention to run as Victorian Liberal leader in a four-way contest that could shape the long-term future of the Liberal party in the state.

Smith was one of the few Liberal MPs to increase their vote during the weekend election, winning the seat of Warrandyte with a near 10 per cent margin over his Labor rival. However this was masked by a thumping loss for the broader party, which paves the way for Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews to be easily returned for a third term.

Dan Andrews celebrates winning the Victorian state election. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

However, Smith said large swings against Labor in its traditional heartland of the western suburbs and the north, shows change is underway in Melbourne’s political landscape — and these areas represent significant opportunity for the state Liberal party.

And what has been missing from the Liberal message until now is the articulation of aspirational values.

“I think we’ve been quite remiss in not talking to those northern and western suburbs, and inside the southeast as well. All these growth corridors where we’ve got a lot of new migrants, a lot of hard working families who have faith or just traditional family values,” Smith said in an interview.

“I think we need to spend much more time talking to them. My focus will be making sure that we have a message for those people as well as the broader state”.

He remains highly concerned about the substantial levels of debt Victoria is carrying, which he believes will be a long-term structural problem for generations.

Smith’s decision to run as Liberal leader is likely to see him against Hawthorn MP John Pesutto, who is weighing up running. Others include Berwick MP Brad Battin, as well as Matt Bach, although as an upper house MP it complicates his run.

Smith wouldn’t be drawn on whether he intends to run with new Kew MP Jess Wilson, who took over the seat as former embattled MP Tim Smith who quit.

For his part Ryan Smith said he is not intending to run as a ticket, but is happy to talk to anyone who wants to discuss that.

Smith points to the Liberals holding inner city seats against every Teal independent challenger. The growth suburbs and strong gains in country Victoria in seats held by Coalition partner Nationals shows the party has found a “reasonable balance in terms of centrist policies versus left and right”, he said. Defence against the Teals, who ran on strong climate policies, also shows support for the party’s position around climate and the environment, Smith said.

“However it’s the articulation of our message and the enunciation of our values that is probably where we’ve been missing”.

Ryan Smith said the gains for Liberals will be won in Melbourne’s suburbs.

He said four years is enough runway to put in place build relationships with key communities and regain momentum to win.

The 53-year-old Smith grew up in Melbourne’s outer east, attending Lilydale High School. As he said he isn’t someone who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, rather he made his own way forward for an early career in finance. However he joined the Liberal party in early 2000, because it represented to him “the values of getting rewarded for hard work”.

“Everything that I achieved in my previous career in the financial markets was a result of a good work ethic and people saw that and supported me for promotion going forward. And what I want to put forward to people is the party that I would lead: values, aspiration, hard work, and being there to support you to make sure that every opportunity will be there for you”.

“I really want to have a whole theme of aspiration, meaning that the government will support you to do better for the better good of the state and will be there to help you along.”

With Labor now set to be in charge in Victoria for all but four years of more than two decades, Smith said it is not a given that the coalition will remain in opposition indefinitely.

“Clearly the majority voted for the government and I’m a big believer in democracy. But I still look at the literally hundreds of thousands of people who put their faith in us, voted for us. Even in areas where we didn’t win the seat there was still anywhere up to 49 per cent of people who wanted us as the government. So I think we have to be true to those people and in many cases expand on our message,” he said.

“Australia’s political history is replete with comebacks, and you can’t get up every morning, if you don’t think that you’re going to make a difference.”

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Originally published as Liberal MP Ryan Smith maps out plan to win back from Labor’s Dan Andrews after Victorian election