Sam Groth counselled by party after tennis ace raised his profile, angering John Pesutto

The Victorian Liberal Party counselled former frontbencher Sam Groth over unity after stories were published, including on his meeting with John Howard.

Sam Groth. Picture: Tony Gough

Former Victorian Liberal frontbencher Sam Groth was counselled about the need for unity in the parliamentary party after it was revealed he met with former prime minister John Howard soon after professing his leadership ­ambitions.

Mr Groth was asked to meet with a senior party official in Aug­ust amid concerns from Opposition Leader John Pesutto and others about Mr Groth’s soaring profile in the media at the same time the Moira Deeming affair was enveloping the organisation.

In August, The Australian revealed Mr Groth had met with Mr Howard and soon after he was asked to meet with a party official to be “counselled”, where he was told publicity around his ambitions was unhelpful for the party, according to senior sources.

At the same time, The Australian reported there was pressure on Mr Pesutto’s leadership over the Deeming affair amid concerns it would impact the federal election campaign.

Mr Groth was one of a small group of MPs being discussed as potential replacements to head off any harm to Peter Dutton.

There are rumours in the Liberal Party that Mr Groth was threatened with expulsion in Aug­ust but a senior Liberal said the discussion was about the need for a united state parliamentary party.

Mr Groth did not respond when contacted.

The meeting with the party official came after Mr Groth declared in an interview with the Herald Sun in July “I want to be premier, yes.’’

“I don’t sit here in this place wanting to be the next Jeff Kennett, or the next Robert Menzies or the next John Howard. I want to be the first Sam Groth and do things my way.’’ he said.

While Mr Groth’s ambition is well known, the counselling session has not been revealed.

Mr Groth last week quit the frontbench, declaring he could not ethically remain on the frontbench given the nature of Mr Pesutto’s defamation defeat at the hands of Mrs Deeming.

Mr Groth’s resignation raised the heat on the leadership ­question.

On Friday, Liberal MPs will meet to debate whether Ms Deeming should be reinstated to the ­partyroom.

MPs are divided on whether the motion will be successful, with those backing Mrs Deeming claiming there are at least 14 of the 28 expected votes leaning towards her return.

If this happens it will be extremely difficult for Mr Pesutto to remain as leader, facing as he does a potentially multimillion-dollar bill for Mrs Deeming’s defamation action against him.

He has opposed her returning to the partyroom but the decision will be decided by all MPs and not just the leader.

A Liberal moderate has estimated “about one-third” of the partyroom would support the motion to allow Mrs Deeming back into the fold. “I don’t think it’s going to get over the line,” the MP told The Australian.

“Friday will come, and Friday will go. Then what?”

The senior MP predicted Mr Pesutto would survive Friday’s meeting but his long-term hold on the leadership rested on positive polling early next year and a strong result in looming by-elections in Prahran and Werribee.

“John is not blameless in all of this,” the MP said. “He should have apologised to Moira after losing the legal action, but that doesn’t mean the majority of colleagues want her back in the partyroom. There are major trust issues.”

Mr Groth, the former spokesman for tourism, sport and events, is widely seen as ambitious and coveting the leadership but is unlikely to gather enough votes on his own to seize the leadership from Mr Pesutto, sources said.

In his frontbench resignation statement, he said: “It is with regret that, following yesterday’s Federal Court judgment against John Pesutto and his subsequent decision to remain as Liberal leader, I have decided to resign from his frontbench. In good conscience, I can no longer continue to serve in this role.’’

Supporters of the federal Opposition Leader have been working hard to keep him away from the leadership turbulence in Victoria over the court case and some state MPs have bristled at the thought of Canberra “meddling” in Victorian matters.