Liberal Party of Australia (Victorian Division)

This article is about the Victorian division of the Liberal Party of Australia. For the political party between 1954 and 1955, see Victorian Liberal Party (1954).

"Liberal and Country Party" redirects here. For the Victorian political party between 1938 and 1943, see Liberal Country Party. For the South Australian political party, see Liberal and Country League. For the political party in the Northern Territory, see Country Liberal Party.

Liberal Party of Australia (Victorian Division)
Leader	John Pesutto
Deputy Leader	David Southwick
President	Greg Mirabella
Founded	5 March 1945;78 years ago (5 March 1945) [lower-alpha 1]
Preceded by	Victorian United Australia Party
Headquarters	Emirates House, 257 Collins Street, Melbourne
Student wing	Australian Liberal Students' Federation
Youth wing	Young Liberals
Women's wing	Liberal Women's Council
LGBT wing	Liberal Pride [1]
Membership (2020)	c. 12,000 [2]
Ideology	Conservatism (Australian) [3] Liberalism (Australian) Factions: Christian right [4] [5] [6] Right-wing populism [7] [8]
Political position	Centre-right [9] [10] [11] to right-wing [3] [12] [13]
National affiliation	Federal Liberal
Coalition	Liberal–National
Legislative Assembly	19 / 88
Legislative Council	10 / 40
House of Representatives	7 / 39 (Victorian seats)
Senate	3 / 12 (Victorian seats)
Website
vic.liberal.org.au
Politics of Australia Political parties Elections

Seats in local government
Ballarat	3 / 9
Boroondara	4 / 11
Brimbank	2 / 11
Frankston	1 / 9
Greater Bendigo	1 / 9
Greater Dandenong	2 / 11
Hobsons Bay	1 / 7
Kingston	2 / 11
Knox	1 / 10
Latrobe	1 / 9
Manningham	2 / 9
Maroondah	4 / 9
Monash	1 / 11
Moyne	2 / 7
Mornington Peninsula	2 / 11
Nillumbik	4 / 7
Port Phillip	2 / 9
Queenscliffe	1 / 5
Stonnington	2 / 9
Whitehorse	6 / 11
Wyndham	1 / 11

The Liberal Party of Australia (Victorian Division), branded as Liberal Victoria, ^[14] and commonly known as the Victorian Liberals, is the state division of the Liberal Party of Australia in Victoria. It was formed in 1949 as the Liberal and Country Party (LCP), and simplified its name to the Liberal Party in 1965. ^[15]

There was a previous Victorian division of the Liberal Party when the Liberal Party was formed in 1945, but it ceased to exist and merged to form the LCP in March 1949. ^[16]

History

Background

Robert Menzies, who was the Prime Minister of Australia between 1939 and 1941, founded the Liberal Party during a conference held in Canberra in October 1944, uniting many non-Labor political organisations, including the United Australia Party (UAP) and the Australian Women's National League (AWNL). ^[17]

The UAP was a major conservative party in Australia and last governed Victoria between May 1932 and April 1935, under Stanley Argyle's leadership. Argyle lost the premiership when the UAP's coalition partner, the United Country Party, led by Albert Dunstan, ended the coalition and formed a minority government with the support of the Labor Party. After Argyle's death in late 1941, Thomas Hollway became the leader of the UAP in Victoria. During his time as UAP leader, he was the Deputy Premier in a Dunstan coalition government from September 1943. ^[18]

The AWNL was a conservative women's organisation founded and originally based in Victoria, but had expanded across Australia since World War I. Its leaders included Dame Elizabeth Couchman and future senator Ivy Wedgwood, both of whom were from Victoria. During the October 1944 conference, the AWNL was recognised by Menzies as one of the long-standing non-Labor organisations in Victoria. ^[19]

The Liberal Party in Victoria was established between December 1944 and January 1945, with the names of the provisional state executive revealed on 29 December 1944, and the first meeting held a week later, on 5 January 1945. ^{[20] [21]} The state executive included AWNL's leaders Couchman and Wedgwood. The AWNL joined the Liberal Party on 30 January 1945. ^[22] The UAP and its parliamentary members (including Hollway) joined the Liberal Party on 5 March 1945, with the state parliamentary UAP becoming the state parliamentary Liberal Party. As a result, Hollway became the first parliamentary leader of the Victorian branch of the Liberal Party. ^[23]

Old Liberal Party Victorian Division

On 2 October 1945, deputy Liberal Party leader, Ian Macfarlan, was commissioned by the Governor, Sir Winston Dugan, to form a government, when it became clear that the Victorian Legislative Assembly would not grant supply to the Dunstan government. The Liberals were defeated by the Labor Party in the election a month later.

By the 1947 Victorian state election, the Liberals were again in coalition with the Country Party (renamed from United Country Party) and contested the election together. The coalition won the election and governed Victoria as majority government from 20 November 1947 to 3 December 1948, with Liberal leader Hollway as Premier and Country leader John McDonald as Deputy Premier. ^[24]

Liberal and Country Party

Formation

During a series of transport strikes in 1948, the moderate Hollway had dealt amicably with the transport unions and the Trades Hall Council, but McDonald heavily criticised his conciliatory approach to the conservative parties' traditional enemies. ^[25] Hollway forced McDonald to resign as deputy, and Wilfrid Kent Hughes, deputy leader of Liberal Party, was appointed Deputy Premier.

In February 1949, the Liberal Party planned to form a new Liberal and Country Party (LCP), with metropolitan and country interests proposed to be represented on a 50-50 basis. ^[26] Hollway hoped this would unite the two "anti-socialist" parties of Liberal Party and Country Party together, ^[27] an idea supported by Liberal Party and Country Party voters. ^{[28] [29]}

A merger of the Liberal and Country parties had already happened in South Australia in 1932, with the formation of the Liberal and Country League. The Liberal Party conference on 22 February 1949 endorsed the idea of a merger. ^[30] However, the idea was rejected by the Country Party and argued it was a takeover attempt of the Country Party, and to eliminate the Country Party from Victorian politics entirely. ^{[31] [32]}

However, six Country Party MPs were willing to be part of the united party. On 22 March 1949, they joined the Liberals in forming the Liberal and Country Party (LCP). ^{[33] [34] [16] [35]} Hollway was chosen as leader of the new party and continued to be Premier. ^[36] Hughes also continued as deputy leader of the new party and Deputy Premier. The six former Country MPs were eligible for Cabinet positions in the new LCP government, but turned them down since "the present cabinet had prepared legislation for the new parliamentary session" and "should carry on with it", ^[37] so the incumbent cabinet composition was unchanged. The LCP succeeded the old Victorian Liberal Party as the Victorian Division of the Liberal Party of Australia, and federal members endorsed by the LCP sat with the Liberals in Canberra and belonged to the federal parliamentary Liberal Party. ^[38]

Future Prime Minister, John Gorton, was one of those appointed to the state executive of the LCP. ^[32] He had supported the Country Party since before the war, but became frustrated with the party's squabbles with the Liberal Party and its willingness to co-operate with the Labor Party. While being part of the LCP state executive, he had addressed Country Party gatherings in a few occasions, urging its members to join the new party and stressing that it would not neglect rural interests, as many feared. However, the Country Party was not convinced and never joined the new party.

The LCP, Country Party and Labor Party were the principal contestants at the 1949 Legislative Council election in June. ^[39] John Lienhop, who was a member of the Bendigo Province and previously elected as a Country Party member, contested the election as an LCP member and managed to retain his seat.

Despite their differences, the LCP and Country Party agreed to endorse the same candidates for 10 seats in Victoria for the 1949 federal election in December, minimising three-cornered contests. ^[40] The federal Liberal/Country coalition led by Robert Menzies won the election, securing 20 out of the 33 lower house seats in Victoria.

Loss of government

The LCP continued to govern Victoria independently as a minority government until 27 June 1950, when the Victorian Labor agreed to support a minority Country Party government led by McDonald.

In December 1951, Hollway and his deputy Trevor Oldham were replaced by Les Norman and Henry Bolte, as party leader and deputy leader respectively. In September 1952, Hollway and seven LCP members were expelled from the LCP after a dispute over electoral reform. ^[41] In October, the Labor Party moved to defeat the McDonald government by working with two of Hollway's supporters in the Victorian Legislative Council to block supply. ^[42] Hollway was commissioned by the governor, Sir Dallas Brooks, to form a minority government with the seven former LCP members, known as the Electoral Reform League, and the backing of the Labor Party on confidence and supply. However, 70 hours later, Brooks forced Hollway to resign and recommissioned McDonald as premier. ^[43]

Two months later. at the state election in December 1952, Hollway contested Norman's seat of Glen Iris and won. Neither Country Party, the LCP, nor the Electoral Reform League won enough seats to form government. With Norman losing his seat, Oldham was elected as leader, with Bolte remaining as deputy leader. Oldham and his wife died in a plane crash in India on 2 May 1953, on their way to England to attend the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, ^{[44] [45]} and Bolte succeeded him as LCP leader.

In 1954, Hollway and his supporters formed the Victorian Liberal Party, replacing the Electoral Reform League. Despite the name, it was a separate party to the LCP and the federal Liberal Party.

Following the Australian Labor Party split of 1955 that led to the weakening of the governing Victorian Labor, the LCP, led by Bolte, won the 1955 Victorian state election and formed government for the next 27 years, without a coalition with the Country Party. All members of Hollway's Victorian Liberal Party, including Hollway, lost their seats in the election, and the party ceased to exist.

Liberal Party

Change of name to Liberal Party

As one of the conditions of the Country Party supporting the government's supply bill in the Legislative Council on 27 October 1964, the 'and Country' was to be dropped from the name of the Liberal and Country Party. ^[46] During the party's State Council in March 1965, the party debated for more than an hour on its party name. It was revealed through a letter from Menzies that he did not like the "Liberal and Country Party" name because "liberalism catered for people in the city and in the country". ^[15] With the letter, Bolte managed to persuade the party to support the motion of change of name back to the original name of Liberal Party. ^{[47] [48]}

Malcolm Fraser, the Prime Minister between 1975 and 1983, is to date the last Liberal Prime Minister from Victoria. His immediate successor Andrew Peacock, who served from 1983 to 1985, and again from 1989 to 1990, is the most recent Victorian federal Liberal leader.

The Liberal Party continued to hold government in the Victorian state parliament until 1982 under the leaderships of Bolte, Rupert Hamer and Lindsay Thompson.

Opposition (1982–1992)

The Liberal Party was defeated in the 1982 Victorian state election after governing Victoria for 27 years. Following the Liberals' defeat, Jeff Kennett became the leader of the party. He was deposed as leader following the 1988 Victorian state election, and was replaced by Alan Brown. During Brown's leadership, the Liberals reached a new Coalition agreement with the Victorian Nationals, led by Pat McNamara since 1988.

Kennett became party leader again in 1991 and led the Coalition to victory in the 1992 Victorian state election. The Liberals actually a majority of seats in their own right but, although Kennett had no need for the support of the Nationals, he retained the Coalition, with McNamara as Deputy Premier.^{[ citation needed ]}

Kennett government

The Liberal and National Coalition held government from 1992 to 1999 under Kennett's leadership. The Kennett government privatised many government services, including closing down over three hundred schools. ^[49] The Liberals and Nationals fought as a Coalition in the 1996, which the LIberals won majority in its own right again, and 1999, which the Coalition was defeated.

Opposition (1999–2010)

McNamara's successor as Nationals leader, Peter Ryan, ended the Coalition agreement. ^[50] Since then, Liberals and Nationals had a strained relationship. Ryan uttered several sharp criticisms of the Liberals' most prominent figures, particularly their no-tolls policy on the Melbourne Eastlink freeway ^[51] and on former leader Robert Doyle's remarks that the Liberals were twenty seats from government, a statement that assumed that the Nationals would support a Liberal government. ^[52] Relations soured further at the beginning of 2006 when Victorian Senator Julian McGauran defected from the Nationals to the Liberals. ^[53]

The Liberal Party was the sole opposition party in Victoria until 2008, when Liberals under Ted Baillieu formed a new Coalition agreement with the Nationals. ^[54]

Baillieu & Napthine governments

See also: Baillieu Ministry and Napthine Ministry

After the 2010 Victorian state election, the Liberal and National Coalition held government under Baillieu's leadership. On 7 March 2013 Baillieu resigned from his position of Premier of Victoria and he was replaced by Denis Napthine. Napthine led the Coalition to a defeat in the 2014 Victorian state election.

Opposition (since 2014)

After the 2014 election, Matthew Guy was elected leader. The Coalition arrangement was maintained while the Liberals and Nationals were in opposition. The coalition lost the 2018 election and suffered a significant swing against it, leading to the resignation of Guy as leader of the Liberal Party. ^[55] He was replaced by Michael O'Brien as party leader.

Branch stacking allegations in the party had been linked to conservative powerbroker Marcus Bastiaan since 2016. In late August 2020, his activities in branch stacking were revealed by Nine/The Age, which included directing taxpayer-funded electorate staff working for federal MP Kevin Andrews to be involved with party activities such as recruitment of party members, which is illegal by federal or state law, recruiting members to the party by paying for their membership, and adding party members to seats under fake residential addresses. ^[3] Bastiaan's activities were allegedly endorsed by Michael Sukkar, another conservative federal MP who was a minister within the Morrison ministry. Just a week earlier, internal audit by the party found some members breached party rules by paying for other people's membership fees. ^[13]

On 6 September 2021, a few Liberal MPs including Guy resigned from O'Brien's shadow cabinet or from parliamentary party positions. O'Brien refused to step down as party leader as "he believed he had the support of the majority of MPs" ahead of a possible leadership challenge. ^[56] The following day, Guy replaced O'Brien as party leader in a leadership spill. ^[57] Cindy McLeish was replaced by David Southwick as deputy party leader.

According to The Age, between November 2018 and November 2021, the Coalition's Legislative Council members voted with the Andrews Government's position 28.9% of the time; of the parties in the Legislative Council, only the Liberal Democratic Party had a lower figure (22.1%). ^[58]

In May 2022, Bernie Finn was expelled from the Victorian Liberal Party for "a series of inflammatory social media posts", including calling for abortion to be made illegal in all circumstances, and comparing the Victorian Premier to Adolf Hitler. ^{[59] [60] [61]}

Following the 2022 Victorian state election, the party's director Sam McQuestin, stepped down citing 'internal challenges' in the months leading into the state election. McQuestin is set to be replaced by West Australian Liberal party state director Stuart Smith after a three-month search. ^[62]

John Pesutto was elected leader of the Liberal Party on 8 December 2022, winning the party room ballot by one vote against Brad Battin. ^[63]

Under Pesutto's leadership, in March 2023 he attempted to expel Liberal MP Moira Deeming from the party room after she spoke at an anti-trans rally outside the Victorian Parliament, but the vote failed 18-11. ^{[64] [65] [66] [67]} Two months later, Deeming threatened to sue Pesutto following the first attempt to expel her and associate her with Neo Nazis. She was subsequently expelled from the party room 19 votes to 11. ^[68] Following that vote, Pesutto was Booed by supporters of Deeming during a state council speech. ^{[69] [70] [71] [72]}

Victorian Liberal leaders

#	Leader		Term start	Term end	Electorate	Time in office	Premier	Departure notes
1		Thomas Hollway (1906–1971)	5 March 1945	4 December 1951	Ballarat (1932–1952)	6 years, 274 days	Yes (1947–1950)	Deposed
2		Les Norman (1913–1997)	4 December 1951	19 December 1952	Glen Iris (1947–1952)	1 year, 15 days	No	Lost his seat of Glen Iris in the 1952 state election
3		Trevor Oldham (1900–1953)	19 December 1952	2 May 1953	Malvern (1945–1953)	134 days	No	Died in office
4		Henry Bolte (1908–1990)	3 June 1953	23 August 1972	Hampden (1947–1972)	19 years, 81 days	Yes (1955–1972)	Resigned
5		Rupert Hamer (1916–2004)	23 August 1972	5 June 1981	Kew (1971–1981)	8 years, 286 days	Yes (1972–1981)	Resigned
6		Lindsay Thompson (1923–2008)	5 June 1981	26 October 1982	Malvern (1970–1982)	1 year, 143 days	Yes (1981–1982)	Resigned
7		Jeff Kennett (1948–)	26 October 1982	23 May 1989	Burwood (1976–1999)	6 years, 209 days	No	Deposed
8		Alan Brown (1946–)	23 May 1989	23 April 1991	Gippsland West (1985–1996)	1 year, 335 days	No	Deposed
(7)		Jeff Kennett (1948–)	23 April 1991	26 October 1999	Burwood (1976–1999)	8 years, 186 days	Yes (1992–1999)	Resigned
9		Denis Napthine (1952–)	26 October 1999	20 August 2002	Portland (1988–2002)	2 years, 298 days	No	Deposed
10		Robert Doyle (1953–)	20 August 2002	8 May 2006	Malvern (1992–2006)	3 years, 261 days	No	Resigned
11		Ted Baillieu (1953–)	8 May 2006	6 March 2013	Hawthorn (1999–2014)	6 years, 302 days	Yes (2010–2013)	Resigned
(9)		Denis Napthine (1952–)	6 March 2013	4 December 2014	South-West Coast (2002–2015)	1 year, 273 days	Yes (2013–2014)	Resigned
12		Matthew Guy (1974–)	4 December 2014	6 December 2018	Bulleen (2014–)	4 years, 2 days	No	Resigned
13		Michael O'Brien (1971–)	6 December 2018	7 September 2021	Malvern (2006–)	2 years, 275 days	No	Deposed
(12)		Matthew Guy (1974–)	7 September 2021 (unopposed)	8 December 2022	Bulleen (2014–)	1 year, 92 days	No	Resigned
14		John Pesutto (1970–)	8 December 2022	Incumbent	Hawthorn (2022–)	192 days	No

Victorian Liberal deputy leaders

#	Deputy Leader		Term start	Term end	Electorate	Time in office	Deputy Premier	Leader	Departure notes
1		Ian Macfarlan (1881–1964)	5 March 1945	2 October 1945	Brighton (1928–1945)	211 days	No	Thomas Hollway	Became Premier with the support of breakaway Liberals following the collapse of Albert Dunstan's ministry
2		Trevor Oldham (1900–1953)	22 November 1945	14 November 1947	Malvern (1945–1953)	1 year, 357 days	No	Thomas Hollway	Resigned
3		Wilfrid Kent Hughes (1895–1970)	14 November 1947	28 October 1949	Kew (1927–1949)	1 year, 348 days	Yes (1948-1949)	Thomas Hollway	Resigned to transfer to federal politics
(2)		Trevor Oldham (1900–1953)	8 November 1949	4 December 1951	Malvern (1945–1953)	2 years, 26 days	Yes (1949-1950)	Thomas Hollway	Deposed
4		Henry Bolte (1908–1990)	4 December 1951	3 June 1953	Hampden (1947–1972)	1 year, 181 days	No	Les Norman	Became leader following the death of Trevor Oldham
								Trevor Oldham
5		Arthur Rylah (1909–1974)	3 June 1953	21 April 1971	Kew (1949–1971)	17 years, 322 days	Yes (1955-1971)	Henry Bolte	Resigned due to ill health
6		Rupert Hamer (1916–2004)	21 April 1971	23 August 1972	Kew (1971–1981)	1 year, 124 days	Yes (1971-1972)	Henry Bolte	Became leader following the resignation of Henry Bolte
7		Lindsay Thompson (1923–2008)	23 August 1972	5 June 1981	Malvern (1970–1982)	8 years, 286 days	Yes (1972-1981)	Rupert Hamer	Became leader following the resignation of Rupert Hamer
8		Bill Borthwick (1924–2001)	5 June 1981	7 April 1982	Monbulk (1967–1982)	306 days	Yes (1981-1982)	Lindsay Thompson	Lost his seat of Monbulk in the 1982 state election
9		Rob Maclellan (1934–)	7 April 1982	5 March 1985	Berwick (1976–1992)	2 years, 332 days	No	Lindsay Thompson	Deposed
								Jeff Kennett
10		Tom Austin (1923–2002)	5 March 1985	6 October 1987	Ripon (1976–1992)	2 years, 215 days	No	Jeff Kennett	Resigned
11		Alan Brown (1946–)	6 October 1987	23 May 1989	Gippsland West (1985–1996)	1 year, 229 days	No	Jeff Kennett	Became leader following a successful challenge against Jeff Kennett
12		Roger Pescott (1946–)	23 May 1989	24 July 1990	Bennettswood (1985–1992)	1 year, 62 days	No	Alan Brown	Resigned in failed bid to transfer to federal politics
13		Alan Stockdale (1945–)	24 July 1990	23 April 1991	Brighton (1985–1999)	273 days	No	Alan Brown	Deposed
14		Phil Gude (1941–)	23 April 1991	23 September 1999	Hawthorn (1985–1999)	8 years, 153 days	No	Jeff Kennett	Resigned
15		Denis Napthine (1952–)	23 September 1999	26 October 1999	Portland (1988–2002)	33 days	No	Jeff Kennett	Became leader following the resignation of Jeff Kennett
16		Louise Asher (1956–)	26 October 1999	20 August 2002	Brighton (1999–2018)	2 years, 298 days	No	Denis Napthine	Deposed
17		Phil Honeywood (1960–)	20 August 2002	28 March 2006	Warrandyte (1988–2006)	3 years, 220 days	No	Robert Doyle	Resigned
(16)		Louise Asher (1956–)	28 March 2006	4 December 2014	Brighton (1999–2018)	8 years, 251 days	No	Robert Doyle	Resigned
								Ted Baillieu
								Denis Napthine
18		David Hodgett (1963–)	4 December 2014	6 December 2018	Croydon (2014–)	4 years, 2 days	No	Matthew Guy	Resigned
19		Cindy McLeish (1962–)	6 December 2018	7 September 2021	Eildon (2014–)	2 years, 275 days	No	Michael O'Brien	Deposed
20		David Southwick (1968–)	7 September 2021	Incumbent	Caulfield (2010–)	1 year, 284 days	No	Matthew Guy
								John Pesutto

Senior Figures

State presidents of the Victorian Liberal Party

1945–1948: William Anderson

1948–1949: Magnus Cormack

1949–1950: Dan Mackinnon

1950–1952: William Anderson

1952–1956: John Anderson

1956–1959: Rutherford Guthrie

1959–1962: John Buchan

1962–1965: William Snell

1965–1966: Andrew Peacock

1966–1970: Robert Southey

1970–1973: Phillip Russell

1973–1976: Peter Hardie

1976–1979: Joy Mein

1979–1982: Richard Alston

1982–1984: Stewart McArthur

1984–1987: Eda Ritchie

1987–1992: Michael Kroger

1992–1998: Ted Baillieu

1997–2000: Joy Howley

2000–2003: Ian Carson

2003–2006: Helen Kroger

2006–2007: Russell Hannan

2007–2011: David Kemp

2011–2015: Tony Snell

2015–2018: Michael Kroger

2019–2022: Robert Clark

2022-Current: Greg Mirabella

State Directors of the Victorian Liberal Party

1945–1971: J V McConnell

1971–1974: Leo Hawkins

1975–1976: Timothy Pascoe

1976–1977: Graham Jennings

1977–1983: Neville Hughes

1984–1987: John Ridley

1987–1988: David Kemp

1989–1994: Petro Georgiou

1994–2000: Peter Poggioli

2000–2003: Brian Loughnane

2003–2008: Julian Sheezel

2008–2011: Tony Nutt

2011–2015: Damien Mantach

2015–2017: Simon Frost

2017–2019: Nick Demiris

2019–present: Sam McQuestin

Election results

Liberal Party (1945–1949)

Year	Seats won	±	Total votes	%	±%	Position	Leader
1945	10 / 65	3	180,046	20.51%	2.56%	Crossbench	Thomas Hollway
1947	27 / 65	17	442,451	37.16%	16.65%	Coalition

Liberal and Country Party (1949–1965) & Liberal Party (since 1965)

Year	Seats won	±	Total votes	%	±%	Position	Leader
1950	27 / 65	0	491,448	40.69%	3.53%	Minority government	Thomas Hollway
1952	11 / 65	16	255,685	24.85%	15.84%	Crossbench	Les Norman
1955	34 / 66	23	487,408	37.8%	12.93%	Majority government	Henry Bolte
1958	39 / 66	5	508,678	37.18%	0.6%	Majority government
1961	39 / 66	0	521,777	36.44%	0.74%	Majority government
1964	38 / 66	1	597,748	39.63%	3.20%	Majority government
1967	44 / 73	6	589,985	37.49%	2.14%	Majority government
1970	42 / 73	2	614,094	36.70%	0.79%	Majority government
1973	46 / 73	4	803,382	42.34%	5.64%	Majority government	Rupert Hamer
1976	52 / 81	6	939,481	45.87%	3.53%	Majority government
1979	41 / 81	11	881,366	41.44%	4.44%	Majority government
1982	24 / 81	17	860,669	38.33%	3.11%	Opposition	Lindsay Thompson
1985	31 / 88	7	1,003,003	41.86%	3.53%	Opposition	Jeff Kennett
1988	33 / 88	2	986,311	40.51%	1.30%	Opposition
1992	52 / 88	19	1,153,770	44.16%	3.59%	Coalition
1996	49 / 88	3	1,212,933	43.99%	0.17%	Coalition
1999	36 / 88	13	1,194,998	42.22%	1.77%	Opposition
2002	17 / 88	19	985,011	33.91%	8.31%	Opposition	Robert Doyle
2006	23 / 88	6	1,022,110	34.44%	0.53%	Opposition	Ted Baillieu
2010	35 / 88	12	1,203,654	38.03%	3.59%	Coalition
2014	30 / 88	5	1,223,663	36.47%	1.57%	Opposition	Denis Napthine
2018	21 / 88	9	1,069,137	30.42%	6.04%	Opposition	Matthew Guy
2022	18 / 88	3	992,492	29.74%	0.68%	Opposition

Federal Elections

Election	Seats Won	±	Total Votes	%	±	Leader
1946	7 / 20	1	466,734	37.80%	11.80%	Robert Menzies
1949	17 / 33	10	535,214	41.40%	3.60%
1951	15 / 33	2	571,398	43.60%	2.20%
1954	15 / 33	0	572,233	45.20%	1.60%
1955	20 / 33	5	549,985	41.40%	3.80%
1958	18 / 33	2	531,404	37.80%	3.60%
1961	18 / 33	0	515,792	34.80%	3.00%
1963	18 / 33	0	600,306	39.10%	4.30%
1966	19 / 33	1	622,708	39.80%	0.70%	Harold Holt
1969	18 / 34	1	626,474	37.60%	2.20%	John Gorton
1972	14 / 34	4	606,273	33.60%	4.00%	William McMahon
1974	12 / 34	2	738,236	36.40%	2.80%	Billy Snedden
1975	19 / 34	7	887,685	42.30%	5.90%	Malcolm Fraser
1977	20 / 33	1	842,545	39.60%	2.70%
1980	13 / 33	7	874,395	39.10%	0.50%
1983	7 / 33	6	869,542	37.10%	2.00%
1984	11 / 39	4	842,423	36.90%	0.20%	Andrew Peacock
1987	12 / 39	1	922,680	38.00%	1.10%	John Howard
1990	21 / 38	9	1,018,740	39.70%	1.70%	Andrew Peacock
1993	17 / 38	4	1,102,965	40.20%	0.50%	John Hewson
1996	19 / 37	2	1,106,556	39.90%	0.30%	John Howard
1998	16 / 37	3	1,053,990	37.10%	2.80%
2001	15 / 37	1	1,154,493	39.10%	2.00%
2004	16 / 37	1	1,302,038	43.24%	4.14%
2007	14 / 37	2	1,206,992	38.09%	5.15%
2010	12 / 37	2	1,159,301	36.45%	1.64%	Tony Abbott
2013	14 / 37	2	1,320,417	40.08%	3.63%
2016	14 / 37	0	1,273,419	37.01%	3.07%	Malcolm Turnbull
2019	12 / 38	2	1,288,805	34.88%	2.13%	Scott Morrison
2022	8 / 39	4	1,010,453	29.82%	5.06%

See also

• National Party of Australia – Victoria

References

Notes

1. The party was formed out of the Victorian United Australia Party (UAP) and is chiefly the successor to it. The party has overgone several changes (name, mergers), but holds the same name as it was founded.

Citations

1. Pride, Liberal. "Liberal Pride". Liberal Pride. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
2. Rollason, Bridget; Willingham, Richard (18 December 2020). "Victorian Liberal Party branch-stacking investigation finds 170 memberships paid by someone else". ABC .
3. "'That's politics': Inside the Liberal Party's branch-stacking machine". The Age. 23 August 2020. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
4. Smethurst, Annika (7 October 2021). "Liberals fear influence of right-wing church ahead of preselection". The Age . Archived from the original on 12 October 2021.
5. Smethurst, Annika (8 October 2021). "Holding the Liberals' moderate line will be key to Guy's success". The Age (opinion). Archived from the original on 12 October 2021.
6. "Victorian Liberal Party members slam 'infiltration' by hardline Pentecostal groups". ABC News. 31 August 2022.
7. Eddie, Rachael; Sakkal, Paul (5 December 2021). "Liberal MPs join protest at which fringe element promotes violence". The Age .
8. Eddie, Rachael (5 December 2021). "No ifs, no buts, no more lockdowns': Matthew Guy launches campaign work".
9. "Victorian Liberal member faces expulsion over 'moronic Mormons' post on social media". ABC News. 11 May 2018. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
10. "Bernie Finn set to be dumped to crossbench after Liberal leadership backs expulsion".
11. "Victorian Liberal party seeks to expel Bernie Finn over anti-abortion comments | Victorian politics | the Guardian".
12. "Mormon influence rising in the Liberal party". The Age. 5 May 2018. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
13. "Liberal Party investigates branch-stacking claims". 17 August 2020. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
14. "Welcome". Liberal Party of Australia (Vic Div) Membership Site. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
15. "State Liberals Censure Bolt on Education". The Canberra Times. 2 March 1965. Retrieved 28 November 2019– via Trove.
16. "Birth of Combined Party". The Mercury. 23 March 1949. Retrieved 28 November 2019– via Trove.
17. "About Us - Our History". Liberal Victoria. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
18. Hollway, Thomas Tuke (Tom) (1906–1971). Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
19. "Forming the Liberal Party of Australia - Record of the Conference of Representatives of Non-Labor Organisations" (PDF). 16 October 1944. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 November 2019. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
20. "The Liberal Party's Executive - Three Women Included in Provisional List". The Age. 30 December 1944. Retrieved 3 December 2019– via Trove.
21. "Liberal Party - First Executive Meeting". The Age. 5 January 1945. p. 5. Retrieved 3 December 2019– via Trove.
22. "A.W.N.L. and Liberal Party". The Age. 31 January 1945. Retrieved 3 December 2019– via Trove.
23. "State UAP Now Liberal Party". The Argus. 6 March 1945. Retrieved 3 December 2019– via Trove.
24. "Writs Issued for State Election". The Herald. 14 October 1947.
25. "Victorian House Dissolved; Election in May". The Canberra Times . ACT. 13 April 1950. p. 1. Retrieved 18 May 2012– via Trove.
26. "Plans for United CP-Lib Party". The Argus. 5 February 1949. Retrieved 29 November 2019– via Trove.
27. "Mr Hollway resumes merger campaign". The Argus. 28 February 1949. Retrieved 29 November 2019– via Trove.
28. "Most Liberal-CP Voters Want Parties To Merge". The Herald. 26 February 1949. Retrieved 29 November 2019– via Trove.
29. "Country Party Want Combined Party". Portland Guardian. 7 March 1949. Retrieved 29 November 2019– via Trove.
30. "Liberal Conference - Branches Endorse New United Party". The Age. 23 February 1949. p. 1. Retrieved 29 November 2019– via Trove.
31. Brian Costar (1985). "National–Liberal Party Relations in Victoria". In Hay, P. R.; et al. (eds.). Essays on Victorian Politics. Warrnambool: Warrnambool Institute Press.
32. Ian Hancock (2002). John Gorton: He Did It His Way. Hodder. ISBN   0733614396.
33. Costar, B. J., 'McDonald, Sir John Gladstone Black (Jack) (1898–1977)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, accessed 22 February 2012.
34. "Liberal and Country Party Comes into Existence". The Advocate (Tasmania) . Burnie, Tas. 23 March 1949. p. 3. Retrieved 22 February 2012– via Trove.
35. "New Vic. Govt. Set-up". The Examiner. 22 March 1949. p. 3. Retrieved 28 November 2019– via Trove.
36. "New LCP Chooses Hollway as Leader". The Examiner. 23 March 1949. Retrieved 29 November 2019– via Trove.
37. "No Change in Victorian Cabinet". The Mercury . Hobart, Tas. 24 March 1949. p. 14. Retrieved 18 May 2012– via Trove.
38. "'Room for all' in Liberal-CP". The Herald. 23 February 1949. Retrieved 29 November 2019– via Trove.
39. "New Party to Oppose C.P." The Age. 4 March 1949. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
40. "Non-Labour Forces' Election Pact". The West Australian. 5 July 1949. Retrieved 28 November 2019– via Trove.
41. "M.L.A.S Expel Hollway". The Sydney Morning Herald . 25 September 1952. p. 4. Retrieved 21 February 2012– via Trove.
42. "Mr. Hollway Will Become Premier". The West Australian. Perth. 24 October 1952. p. 1. Retrieved 22 February 2012– via Trove.
43. Paul Strangio and Brian Costar (eds.), The Premiers of Victoria: 1856–2006 (Federation Press, Sydney, 2006).
44. "Mr. Trevor Oldham: Success in business and politics". The Age. 4 May 1953. p. 2. Retrieved 19 February 2019– via Trove.
45. "Comet Jet Crash in "Tempest". 43 Killed: Four Australians". The Sydney Morning Herald . 4 May 1953. p. 1. Retrieved 19 February 2019– via Trove.
46. "Bolte agrees to Country Party demands for support". The Canberra Times. 28 October 1964. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
47. Walker, K. J. (April 1965). "Victoria". Australian Journal of Politics & History. 11 (1): 96. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8497.1965.tb00419.x .
48. "Significant Victorian Electoral Events since 1851". Victorian Electoral Commission.
49. "What are Lost Schools?".
50. Chris Johnston – Attack the best defence for Ryan. Thanks, Cicero – The Age, 27 November 2006
51. Nick Lenaghan Opposition splits on tollway
52. Jason Dowling State Nationals send warning to Doyle, The Age , 29 January 2006
53. Liberals accept McGauran The Herald Sun, 3 February 2006
54. David Rood – Libs, Nats revive coalition – The Age, 11 February 2008
55. "Matthew Guy resigns as Victorian Opposition Leader after Liberals' election battering". ABC News. 28 November 2018.
56. "Michael O'Brien's Victorian Liberal Party leadership under threat from Matthew Guy". ABC News. 6 September 2021. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
57. "Matthew Guy replaces Michael O'Brien as Victorian Liberal leader". ABC News. 7 September 2021. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
58. Sakkal, Paul (26 November 2021). "'Is this what compliant looks like?': Victoria's crossbench conflict". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
59. "Liberal MP slammed over Nazi comparison – the Australian Jewish News".
60. "Victorian Liberal MP says he is 'praying' for abortion to be banned in wake of concern about US law change". ABC News. 5 May 2022.
61. "Victorian Liberal MP who posted anti-abortion comments expelled from party". ABC News. 23 May 2022.
62. Smethurst, Annika; Eddie, Rachel (15 March 2023). "Victorian Liberals overlook a woman for state director in favour of 'interstater'". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
63. "John Pesutto wins Liberal leadership in Victoria by one vote". Australian Financial Review. 8 December 2022. Archived from the original on 9 December 2022. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
64. Kolovos, Benita (20 March 2023). "Victorian opposition leader moves to expel MP involved in anti-trans protest attended by neo-Nazis". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
65. Abbott, Sumeyya Ilanbey, Broede Carmody, Lachlan (21 March 2023). "Bid to delay expulsion of Deeming fails as details of Pesutto's motion revealed". The Age. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
66. Kolovos, Benita (20 March 2023). "Moira Deeming vows to fight expulsion push over involvement in protest attended by neo-Nazis". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 21 March 2023.
67. "Liberal MP set to be expelled over role in violent Melbourne anti-trans rally". 7NEWS. 19 March 2023. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
68. Kolovos, Benita (12 May 2023). "Moira Deeming expelled from Victorian Liberal party room after threat to sue leader John Pesutto". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 6 June 2023.
69. "Victorian Liberal Party members 'disgusted' by treatment of Moira Deeming interrupt leader's state council speech". ABC News. 20 May 2023.
70. "Victorian Liberal leader John Pesutto booed and heckled by Moira Deeming supporters".
71. "'Shame, shame': Liberal members unrest adds to Pesutto leadership woes". 19 May 2023.
72. "Moira Deeming supporters boo and walk out on Victorian Liberal leader John Pesutto at state council". The Guardian. 20 May 2023.