Matthew Guy replaces Michael O'Brien as Victorian Liberal leader - ABC News

Former party leader Matthew Guy has toppled Michael O'Brien as leader of the Victorian Liberal Party.

Key points:

• Michael O'Brien decided not to contest the ballot after the leadership spill
• Matthew Guy was previously Liberal leader from 2014 to 2018
• David Southwick has been elected deputy leader

Mr Guy took the party leadership after Mr O'Brien decided not to contest the ballot after a successful spill motion this morning - the second challenge to his leadership in six months.

David Southwick has been elected deputy leader, replacing Cindy McLeish. 

After reclaiming the leadership, Mr Guy said Mr O'Brien and Ms McLeish had found it difficult to get the party's message across during the pandemic.

"It's very difficult to get air time as a state opposition during the COVID period, ask any opposition leader around Australia, it's not just limited to Victoria," he said.

"My thoughts immediately on this day are with all of those people frontline working to manage our COVID response here in Victoria, people like my wife and all those other people like myself who yesterday were home schooling and all the kids who were home schooling.

"All those small business people who can't open and are doing it very, very tough today, our thoughts still with them."

Matthew Guy and several of his supporters quit their roles in the Shadow Cabinet yesterday.(

ABC News

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Yesterday, Mr Guy stood down from the Shadow Cabinet, along with fellow MP Tim Smith, ahead of the leadership challenge.

Benambra MP Bill Tilley has also resigned from his role as Liberal Party Whip and Brighton MP James Newbury has resigned from his shadow assistant minister positions.

Mr Guy was party leader from 2014 to 2018, but stepped down after a heavy defeat at the last state election. 

O'Brien calls for party to unify behind new leader

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Michael O'Brien makes way for Matthew Guy as Victorian Opposition Leader

Speaking after losing the leadership, Mr O'Brien called for party unity as the Liberals looked ahead to the 2022 state election.

"I think that every Liberal leader deserves support and Matthew deserves it no less than anyone else," he said.

"I love this state, I love the people in it and to be able to do that for three years, to walk into any shop in any town and have a chat and talk about the issues that matter to Victorians, it's been so important and it's been such a privilege."

Mr O'Brien said he would contest his seat of Malvern at the state election next year.

Earlier, Western Victoria MP Bev McArthur declared she would not vote for Mr O'Brien in the leadership challenge.

"It's no secret that I voted for a spill in March that was unsuccessful, so I'm happy to support an alternative to Michael O'Brien," Ms McArthur said.

"I believe the party has to go forward and end any disunity that's occurring so we're a viable alternative to go to the 2022 election."

Nationals Leader Peter Walsh urged Mr Guy to bring positivity to the role, and not to dwell on the poor election showing of 2018.

"If you look at some of the great leaders that we've had, in our nation and in our state, John Howard had some time in the wilderness and came back to lead and be one of the great prime ministers of Australia," he told ABC Radio Melbourne.

"It is soul destroying to lead a party to the result we had in 2018, and I know Matthew felt it very personally, and he has certainly learnt and is very attuned." 

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2021-09-06 21:27:39Z
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