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Victoria’s Liberal Party elected Jess Wilson as its new opposition leader Tuesday, making her the first woman to hold the position in the party’s 71-year history after a swift leadership challenge unseated Brad Batton following 11 months in the role.
Wilson, 35, was elected unopposed during a party room meeting that lasted less than 40 minutes. The first-term member of parliament for Kew becomes the third Liberal leader since December 2023, underscoring continued instability within Victoria’s main opposition party.
The leadership change came despite polling released hours earlier showing Batton with his first election-winning lead since taking over. Party sources indicated the spill reflected deeper concerns about electoral viability rather than immediate polling numbers.
“At the next election, 12 months from now, Victorians have a clear choice,” Wilson said at her first press conference as leader. “A choice between a tired, out of touch Labor government or a new generation Liberal team.”
Wilson outlined four priorities: restoring budget control, addressing crime, improving healthcare access, and expanding home ownership opportunities. Sam Groth was elected deputy leader, defeating David Southwick in a separate ballot. Bev McArthur and Evan Mulholland round out the leadership team.
Batton, speaking to reporters after losing the spill motion, struck a conciliatory tone and pledged to remain an active team member.
“Politics isn’t about just being inside the parliament — it’s actually about people,” Batton said, referencing conversations with crime victims and their families. “I want to wish them all the best, each and every one of them.”
Wilson thanked Batton for his service and said he would have “a key role to play in the team going forward.”
The leadership turmoil began when John Pesutto was removed following a defamation case involving expelled MP Moira Deeming. Batton replaced Pesutto on Dec. 27, 2023, but struggled to gain traction in public polling throughout his tenure.
Political analysts describe Wilson as a moderate with strong communication skills who opposed Victoria’s treaty with First Nations people, aligning her with the party’s conservative faction on that issue. Colleagues have characterized her as capable of bridging internal divisions.
The state election is scheduled for November 2026, giving Wilson approximately one year to unite the party and build public support.
In New South Wales, the Nationals elected new leadership Tuesday as well. Gurmesh Singh, member for Coffs Harbour and a former blueberry farmer first elected in 2019, replaced Dugald Saunders as leader. Kevin Anderson, member for Tamworth, was elected deputy. The move signals a generational shift within the party toward younger members of parliament.
Both leadership changes reflect broader patterns in Australian conservative politics as parties seek fresh faces amid challenging electoral environments.
Wilson faces the immediate task of stabilizing a party that has cycled through multiple leaders while trailing Labor in Victoria, where the governing party has dominated state politics for years.
The Victorian Liberals hold 19 seats in the 88-member lower house, requiring significant gains to form government. Wilson’s ability to present a unified alternative will be tested in coming months as the party prepares for the 2026 campaign.
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