Moira Deeming to play key role in Victorian Liberal Party’s upcoming by-election campaign

Moira Deeming has missed out on a spot in the Victorian Liberal Party shadow cabinet but newly elected leader Brad Battin says she will play an important role in the party’s campaign for the seat of Werribee.

Victorian Liberal leader Brad Battin says Moira Deeming will take on an important role in the Victorian Liberal Party’s upcoming Werribee by-election campaign. Picture: David Crosling

Moira Deeming will play a key role in the Victorian Liberal Party’s campaign in the upcoming Werribee by-election, which is set to be a major test for both newly elected Liberal leader Brad Battin and Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan’s Labor government.

While Mrs Deeming missed out on a spot in the shadow cabinet, Mr Battin said she would have an important role in the February 8 vote.

New Victorian Liberal leader Brad Battin. Picture: Tony Gough

“We’ll be going into that election with an intention to get the best result we can for the Victorian Liberal Party, and that means Moira and Trung (Luu), who are the upper house members over there, will be working with a candidate who we will hopefully announce in the very near future, and myself and my team to put forward our position so people have got a genuine alternative when it comes to vote,” Mr Battin said on Tuesday.

The vote in the seat in Melbourne’s west, triggered by the resignation of former state treasurer Tim Pallas, is potentially highly significant in the lead-up to the 2026 Victorian election.

In 1997, a 16 per cent swing to Labor in the Mitcham by-election signalled the beginning of the end of the then Kennett government, which lost the bellwether seat.

Werribee is in what should be safe Labor territory but it has started to shift against the state and federal governments.

Ms Allan attended Werribee twice in the past week where she appeared at press conferences alongside Labor’s candidate, local teacher and CFA volunteer John Lister.

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan and Labor candidate for Werribee John Lister. Picture: NewsWire/ David Crosling.

Mr Battin said the Liberal Party would announce its candidate by next week.

On Tuesday, he announced major changes to his shadow cabinet, which he said was the team he would take to the 2026 election.

“This is a team that I have confidence in, that will be united,” Mr Battin said.

Ousted leader John Pesutto will sit on the backbench after opting not to join cabinet, while Brighton MP James Newbury will take over from Brad Rowswell as shadow treasurer.

James Newbury will become Victoria’s opposition Treasury spokesman. Picture: NewsWire / Nadir Kinani.

Mr Rowswell will become shadow minister for digital transformation and public service innovation and shadow minister for environment.

Bridget Vallence will become manager of opposition business and will take the finance portfolio from Jess Wilson, who unsuccessfully challenged Mr Battin for the leadership in late December.

Ms Wilson will retain education and take on industry and economic growth.

Deputy leader Sam Groth will become shadow special minister for state, and also hold the portfolios of tourism, sport, events and hospitality and outdoor recreation.

David Southwick, who was Mr Pesutto’s deputy and held the portfolio of transport infrastructure, will become shadow police and corrections minister.

Georgie Crozier will retain her role as shadow health minister, while Beverley McArthur will join the shadow cabinet in the local government and scrutiny of government portfolios.

Matthew Guy, who led the party to two election defeats, has been handed a new portfolio of transition to government.

Only eight of the 23 members of the shadow cabinet are women.

John Pesutto will sit on the backbench after opting against joining the cabinet. Picture: David Crosling

While the Victorian Liberal Party is yet to announce its Werribee candidate, it has kicked off its campaign for the Prahran by-election, scheduled for the same day as the Werribee vote.

The seat of Prahran, which covers Melbourne’s inner-city southeastern suburbs, is shaping up to be a rare Liberal-Greens contest following Labor’s decision not to run a candidate.

The Liberal candidate is Rachel Westaway, a local volunteer and president of the Thai Australian Chamber, while environmental engineer Angelica Di Camillo has been selected to run for the Greens.

The Prahran by-election was triggered by the resignation of former Greens MP Sam Hibbins after he admitted to an affair with a staffer.