Defeated Guy calls for Liberal unity

Liberal Opposition Leader Matthew Guy has urged his party to “stick together and stay united” as his future hangs in the balance.

Liberal Party leader Matthew Guy, with wife Renae, gives his concession speech. Picture: David Caird

Liberal Opposition Leader Matthew Guy has urged his party to “stick together and stay united” as the Victorian Liberals brace for a shocking defeat and a second term in opposition with a substantially smaller team.

Mr Guy appeared at Bulleen’s Veneto Club shortly before 8:30 pm to tell the crowd he had called Victorian Labor leader Daniel Andrews to congratulate him on what he described as a “stunning night” for the leader.

“It is fair and the right thing to do to recognise his and his party’s success and the strength of their campaign, and tonight I do that,” Mr Guy said.

As the Liberal leader left the door open on his next move and did not address whether he would stay on as party leader, he urged Liberal supporters and members not to write off the night before the counting had finished.

He told the crowd he believed big, early swings against the Coalition would improve when the pre-polled votes were counted.

“A lot of seats I’ve noted are being written off or given away from the Liberal Party without the counting of the early or pre-poll votes. We expect a number of those seats to be retained by the party,” he said.

“But let me not detract in any way from the success of our opponents tonight.”

.@MatthewGuyMP is speaking after conceding defeat to @DanielAndrewsMP.

MORE: https://t.co/ykweMevBOK #Vicvotes pic.twitter.com/uaf4rQrBee

— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) November 24, 2018

Mr Guy arrived at the neighbourhood Italian club with his wife Renae, to address the crowd which cheered enthusiastically for the leader, on a night notable for the few MPs who appeared at the event.

Mr Guy said the results so far indicated Labor had snared a formidable victory, and conceded that the parliamentary party would lose members.

“We have campaigned on the issues we believe are important and of the most importance to Victorians: keeping them safe, lowering the cost of living, easing congestion ... and decentralising our state’s population,” he said.

“It isn’t sustainable to keep Melbourne growing at the rate that it is, and I note in country Victoria minimal swings against us,” he said.

“However there are a number of our members who have not been re-elected tonight and I want to offer my sincere commiserations to them.”

Mr Guy congratulated the team for its unity over the past four years and said unity in the coming weeks an parliamentary term was even more vital.

“I say for the next parliament and as a party, we need to stick together, we need to stay united and stay focused on our opponents and the game ahead.”