Seven ex-ministers axed in shake-up of Victorian Coalition

SEVEN former ministers have been dumped in the biggest generational change in the Victorian Coalition parties since 1999.

SEVEN former ministers were dumped yesterday from the ­Coalition frontbench in the biggest generational change in the Victorian Liberal and Nationals parties since 1999.

The frontbench revamp will lead to several by-elections amid an internal Liberal Party push for a purge of ageing MPs in ­exchange for fresh blood to fight the next election.

New Liberal leader Matthew Guy yesterday welcomed eight new faces in the expanded 24-member frontbench after last month’s election loss handed Labor power after just a term in opposition.

There is a widespread belief the Liberal Party failed under former leader Ted Baillieu to inject enough new MPs into the partyroom and force out dead wood.

Announcing the continuation of the Coalition, Mr Guy said the new frontbench — with two more members than the Napthine cabinet — would signal a forward-looking era for the conservative side of politics.

Nationals deputy leader Steph Ryan, 28, was handed the training, skills and apprenticeships portfolio and newly elected former Liberal adviser John Pesutto becomes legal affairs spokesman.

Liberal powerbroker Inga Peulich becomes spokeswoman for government scrutiny and Neale Burgess spokesman for small and medium enterprises.

As expected, former treasurer Michael O’Brien retained the res­ponsibility in opposition and former community services minister Mary Wooldridge assumed the health portfolio.

“This shadow cabinet includes people with new ideas, fresh thinking and the energy and hunger to win government in 2018,’’ Mr Guy said. “During the four years ahead our shadow cabinet team will be making the case for why Victorians should place their trust in us.’’

There are five women on the new frontbench compared with four in the last Napthine ministry, although the opposition team is slightly largely.

Mr Guy paid tribute to former frontbenchers Denis Napthine, Peter Ryan, Louise Asher, Wendy Lovell, Martin Dixon, Terry Mulder and Kim Wells.

It seems unlikely any will recontest their preselection for the next election and likely that some will quit before the election.

Dr Napthine, the former premier, has pledged to remain in parliament until the election, although before becoming premier had been looking to exit politics. Liberal sources said that any purge should include long-­serving backbenchers who had no prospect of being elevated to the frontbench.

“Now is the time to do something about the lack of talent. It’s been a problem since the Kennett years ended,’’ he said.

“You wouldn’t pay most of these people to lick envelopes, let alone draw a $200,000 salary.’’