Matthew Guy quits Liberal Party following landslide loss in Victoria election

Victorian Liberal leader Matthew Guy has resigned as leader after his party’s thumping loss in the state election.

Leader of the Victorian Liberal Party Matthew Guy has announced he is quitting following his defeat in the Victorian state election. Picture: AAP

Victorian Opposition Leader Matthew Guy has announced his resignation in a press statement, after more than three days of silence following the Coalition’s stunning defeat in Saturday’s state election.

Mr Guy’s communications director Tony Barry issued the statement just as Premier Daniel Andrews was beginning a press conference on the Melbourne Metro rail tunnel.

Mr Guy, who is understood to be taking time off with his family, reiterated his congratulations to Mr Andrews in the statement.

“I would like to place on record my deep appreciation for the hard work of all my Liberal members in the last parliament,” he said.

“They were the most unified team of any parliamentary party in Australia.”

Mr Guy also thanked Liberal candidates for their work, as well as the state secretariat and his personal staff.

“They have given up so much and worked so hard,” he said

“Now that the parliamentary party has been called together, they will elect a new leadership team.

“I will not be a candidate for the position of leader.”

Shadow Treasurer Michael O’Brien and Shadow Attorney-General John Pesutto are expected to put their names forward for the leadership.

Mr Pesutto is just 235 votes ahead in his blue ribbon seat of Hawthorn as counting continues - an increase on 53 yesterday.

Mr Andrews said he had also been opposition leader, and knew it wasn’t an easy job, wishing Mr Guy well.

“I can share with him and I think we would probably understand given the roles we’ve played, it’s tough on families,” Mr Andrews said.

“It isn’t easy, and I genuinely wish him all the very best, and to (wife) Renae and his boys, whatever the future holds for him, I only wish good things for him.”

PM yet to speak with Andrews since state election

Mr Andrews revealed that there has been no congratulatory phone call from Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

“He did send me a very nice text on Saturday night, and as you can imagine I’ve got a very full phone,” Mr Andrews said, when asked whether Mr Morrison had called him.

“A lot of people have been sending me lots of messages and I’ve had a lot of work to do.”

Mr Andrews said he would have a message for Mr Morrison when he sees him at a COAG meeting in Adelaide on December 12.

“I look forward to having some discussions with him about a whole range of issues,” he said.

“I think that what the Victorian community have said so, so clearly, is they won’t cop cuts to hospitals, they won’t cop cuts to schools, and they won’t settle for governments that don’t get much done, so I’ll be having a positive conversation with the Prime Minister and sharing with him the very clear message of the Victorian community.

“We are the progressive capital of our nation, we are a progressive government, we value fairness and strength, and unless you’ve got both, you haven’t got much at all.”

Mr Andrews also confirmed he had received a congratulatory text from former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, who also rang a radio station to convey his best wishes.

“I was very pleased that he sent me a nice text,” Mr Andrews said.

“I won’t go through the details of that, but he did send me a text, and I got a call from him on Triple M earlier this week as well.”