12 months out from election, Victorian Liberals vote in new leader

Jess Wilson, the state Liberal member for Kew, has been elected as the leader of the Victorian Liberal party and will be the party’s first-ever female leader.

Wilson will take over from Berwick MP Brad Battin, who himself only became party leader in December last year.

⁉️ What happened: The news of the leadership spill began with a delegation of Liberal MPs visiting Battin on Monday afternoon, notifying him he had lost the support of the party room.

The vote for a new leader took place early on Tuesday morning.

🗳️ Ch-ch-changes: The Victorian Liberal leadership change was the fifth shift in the top job over the past 10 years, and the fourth new face – with Matthew Guy serving across two separate terms.

🤝 Battin passes the baton: Speaking to the media after the spill, Battin said the Victorian Liberal party had “a very clear path” to contest the election next November.

• 🗣️ “We need to see genuine change,” said Battin. “We can’t just wait for it to happen.”

🙏 Grateful farewell: Addressing reporters, Wilson thanked Battin for his work over the past 11 months.

• 🗣️ “Brad is a tireless supporter and worker for the Liberal Party,” said Wilson.

👀 Looking forward: Wilson said her priorities over the next 12 months included proposing a rework of the state’s budget and future investments, tackling crime, improving access to healthcare services and increased home ownership.

• 🗣️ “I will work every day for Victorians to make sure at the next election, they have a clear and credible alternative to vote for that gives them hope for the future of Victoria,” said Wilson.

Image Credit: Joel Carrett/AAP Photos