Guy Returns as Victorian Opposition Leader

Victoria has a new head of opposition following this morning's leadership spill.

After just over 1000 days as Victoria opposition leader Michael O’Brien has been ousted in the spill at the Liberal's HQ.

On Tuesday morning, the party voted 20 -11 in favour of Matthew Guy, reinstating him as the opposition leader after he resigned after a landslide election defeat in 2018.

Guy returns as Victoria's Opposition Leader

Dr. Zareh Ghazarian from Monash University says this is a remarkable return for Guy.

“In 2018 he led the liberal party to a pretty devastating election loss so the party has put faith in him once more to see if he can reclaim the lost ground and try to defeat the Andrews government in the November 2022 election.”

Michael O'Brien survived a challenge for the Liberal leadership in March, but this successful attempt comes off the back of growing frustration that O'Brien wasn't effective in communicating the party's plans during the pandemic.

Dr. Ghazarian says a change of leadership may help the Liberal’s case, but there are some internal issues that need to be addressed.

“One of the challenges they have had this term has been the pandemic, they haven’t the usual opportunities oppositions have to make their views heard especially in Parliament, but nevertheless the Liberal party really has some significant internal divisions that it just can’t get over in Victoria.”

Guy was elected unopposed and Member for Caulfield David Southwick has been elected as his deputy.

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