# 2022 Victorian Liberal Party leadership election

The 2022 Victorian Liberal Party leadership election was held on 8 December 2022 to elect the leader of the Victorian Liberal Party and, ex officio, Leader of the Opposition, following the party's loss at the 2022 Victorian state election.
Matthew Guy, who had held these roles since September 2021 and previously in 2018 resigned after the Coalition's defeat to the Australian Labor Party at the November election.
Moderate John Pesutto defeated conservative Brad Battin 17 votes to 16, while David Southwick retained the position of Deputy Leader. In the Legislative Council, Georgie Crozier succeeded David Davis as leader, with Matthew Bach elected deputy leader unopposed.

## Background

Following the Coalition's defeat at the 2014 Victorian state election under then Premier Denis Napthine, Matthew Guy, who was minister for planning and minister for multicultural affairs and citizenship, was elected as the leader of the Liberal Party and subsequently opposition leader with Peter Walsh as his deputy from the National Party. Guy led the coalition to a landslide defeat at the 2018 Victorian state election and resigned as leader following the results. Former treasurer Michael O'Brien succeeded him as the leader.
By 2021, O'Brien's position was increasingly becoming the subject of speculation that the party was to replace him. On 16 March 2021, members of the shadow frontbench Ryan Smith, Brad Battin and Nick Wakeling resigned. Battin subsequently put forward a leadership spill motion on 17 March 2021, which saw O'Brien surviving the leadership challenge against him.
In September 2021, there was further speculation about O'Brien's leadership. On 6 September 2021, Guy and another frontbench member, Tim Smith resigned from O'Brien's shadow ministry. Later, another spill motion was called, which was successful with the Liberal caucus voting 20-11 for the motion and the leadership becoming vacated. The same day, Guy was elected leader for a second time unopposed.
Following the 2022 Victorian state election where the Coalition was again defeated, Guy announced his resignation as leader resulting in a leadership election for the next term.

## Candidates
### Leadership

Following Guy's resignation as party leader, three candidates initially declared their intent to contest the election, all from the party's conservative faction—Brad Battin, who first challenged the party leadership in 2021; Ryan Smith; and Richard Riordan. Both Ryan and Battin had returned to the Shadow Ministry following Guy's return to the party leadership in 2021. On 30 November, Smith withdrew his candidacy, endorsing Battin; the following day, Riordan followed.
A fourth candidate, moderate John Pesutto, had publicly expressed his interest, although his candidacy was conditional on him regaining the seat of Hawthorn, which was lost to Labor's John Kennedy in 2018. On 30 November 2022, both Kennedy and teal independent challenger Melissa Lowe conceded defeat in the seat of Hawthorn; Pesutto officially announcing his candidacy on 1 December.

#### Nominated

| Name | Positions | Faction | Declared |
| Brad Battin | Shadow Minister for Police (2021–present) Shadow Minister for Emergency Services (2021–present) Shadow Minister for Community Safety and Victim Support (2021–present) Shadow Minister for Corrections (2021–present) MP for Berwick (2022–present) MP for Gembrook (2010–2022) | Conservative | 28 November 2022 |
| John Pesutto | Shadow Attorney-General (2014–2018) MP for Hawthorn (2014–2018, 2022–present) | Moderate | 1 December 2022 |

#### Withdrew

| Name | Positions | Faction | Declared | Withdrew | Endorsed |
| Ryan Smith | Shadow Minister for Finance (2022–present) Shadow Minister for Planning and Heritage (2021–present) Shadow Minister for Suburban Recovery (2021–present) MP for Warrandyte (2006–present) | Conservative | 28 November 2022 | 30 November 2022 | Brad Battin |
| Richard Riordan | Shadow Minister for Local Government (2021–present) Shadow Minister for Housing (2022–present) Shadow Minister for Resources (2021–present) MP for Polwarth (2015–present) | Conservative | 28 November 2022 | 1 December 2022 | Brad Battin |

#### Declined

* Michael O'Brien, former Opposition Leader (2018–2021) and MP for Malvern
* Georgie Crozier, Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party in the Legislative Council and MLC for Southern Metropolitan Region

### Nominated

| Name | Positions | Faction | Announced |
| Brad Rowswell | MP for Sandringham (2018–present) | Moderate | 30 November 2022 |
| Ryan Smith | Minister for Youth (2010–2014) Minister for Environment and Climate Change (2010–2014) MP for Warrandyte (2006–present) | Conservative | 8 December 2022 |
| David Southwick | Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party (2021–present) MP for Caulfield (2010–present) | Moderate | 30 November 2022 |

## Leadership election in the Legislative Council

There was speculation that the party's leadership in the Victorian Legislative Council may be contested. Prior to the election, David Davis was the leader in the council for the party. Some within the party advocated for others to challenge Davis. Some of the names that were listed included Bev McArthur, Matthew Bach and Georgie Crozier.
Crozier and McArthur ultimately stood for the leadership, with Crozier elected leader 21 votes to 12.