Frontrunners to be next Victorian Liberal leader as party room prepares to vote

Two Liberal MPs are preparing to face off in a party room vote to become the next leader of the Victorian opposition.

Members of the Victorian Liberal party are preparing to choose their new leader as the race between two frontrunners ramps up.

John Pesutto and Brad Battin will face off at a party room meeting on Thursday after the rest of the candidates withdrew from the race.

Mr Pesutto narrowly beat incumbent Labor member John Kennedy and teal Melissa Lowe to snatch the seat of Hawthorn in Melbourne’s leafy inner east last week amid talk of his plans once in parliament.

John Pesutto is running to be the next Liberal leader in Victoria. Picture: Valeriu Campan

The former shadow attorney-general famously lost his seat to Mr Kennedy live during an election broadcast in 2018.

However, Mr Pesutto, who worked as a lawyer and consultant, is a moderate unlike his opponent Brad Battin, who represents the party’s right-wing faction.

He’s said to be hoping this status at the centre will get some of the party’s fresh young faces, including Kew’s Jess Wilson and tennis star Sam Groth of Nepean, on side.

Brad Battin holds more conservative views than his opponent. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

In his efforts to reclaim the seat, Mr Pesutto said he and his team had doorknocked 80 per cent of homes in the seat of 50,000 voters over the past year.

Mr Battin, meanwhile, said he would focus the Liberals’ efforts on voters in Melbourne’s outer suburbs, where the party picked up votes in the latest election.

Brad Rowswell, Bridget Vallence, Ryan Smith and Richard Riordan have all emerged as potential picks for deputy leader.