Liberals revise strategy to win extra Victorian seats

A new strategy to diminish Labor’s stranglehold on Victoria is being devised by the Liberals with Josh Frydenberg’s backing.

Victorian Liberal leader Michael O'Brien. Picture: AAP

A new strategy to diminish Labor’s electoral dominance in Victoria is being backed by Josh Frydenberg that will include targeting Melbourne’s rapidly ­growing west and northwest and promoting greater internal discipline.

The Treasurer is pushing for an end to Labor’s long-term hold on the state with a desire to pick up at least four federal seats at the next election, which would be enough to give the Coalition a majority of Victorian electorates.

It comes as the party is still ­jubilant after the May 18 federal result which, despite losing seats, performed better than many expected, helping elect Scott Morrison at what some had feared was an unwinnable election.

The Australian understands that there has been some significant concerns among state and federal MPs about the party failing to retain state director Simon Frost in the position after the federal election result.

However, Mr Frydenberg and state Liberal leader Michael O’Brien are set to be on the selection panel to replace Mr Frost, who leaves the role in September.

It is understood there is some deep resistance to a plan for the party to create a new position of Liberal chief executive officer, which some members fear would potentially lead to conflict with whoever becomes the next state director.

New Liberal president Robert Clark has been charged with ending the deep factional instability in the party, with strong backing from the state parliament and a commitment from federal MPs to end, or at least diminish, the internal wars.

However, the party must first weather the storm to be created by the looming Senate preselection, with former member for Corangamite Sarah Henderson expected to face stiff competition from Greg Mirabella.

Mr Mirabella is the husband of former federal frontbencher ­Sophie Mirabella and a prominent party figure in his own right.

Mr Frydenberg and the other federal Victorian ministers want to win the seats of Indi, Corangamite, Dunkley and Macnamara.

The party already has dis­cussed doing preselections earlier and with more scrutiny to prevent a repeat of recent problems caused by poorly vetted candidates. Sources said one of the key medium-term issues was dealing with the booming population growth in what have been ­traditional ALP areas.

However, soaring house prices have meant that the demographic in these areas will change over time, bringing in more aspirational voters.

Labor holds 21 of the 38 federal seats in Victoria and 55 of the 88 state lower house seats.

A Liberal powerbroker said a major challenge for the organ­isation was how to revitalise the battered state parliamentary machine.

He said last year’s electoral rout had devastated MPs and required a serious attempt to make the party competitive in just over three years.

There will be a federal election before the next Victorian poll, but state factors will inevitability feed into the federal election ­outcome.