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Battin rejects 'extreme' slur, accuses Labor of running scared

Battin rejects extreme slur accuses Labor of running scared
Victoria’s new opposition leader says Labor’s insults and failure to contest a key byelection show the party is terrified of a voter backlash.

Bridget Vallence, who holds shadow ministry roles including industry spokeswoman and was one of the MPs photographed walking into parliament on Friday with Battin, is eyeing the finance portfolio, according to two sources.

From left: MPs Joe McCracken, Nicole Werner, Sam Groth, Bridget Vallence, Richard Riordan and Brad Battin arrive at Parliament House for Friday’s leadership spill.

From left: MPs Joe McCracken, Nicole Werner, Sam Groth, Bridget Vallence, Richard Riordan and Brad Battin arrive at Parliament House for Friday’s leadership spill.Credit: Eddie Jim

On Saturday, Vallence said she was yet to speak with Battin.

“I’m looking forward to having conversations with Brad. I’d love to perform in a finance role, but it would be a privilege to serve in shadow cabinet in whatever opportunity there is.”

Other early backers of the new leader, including housing spokesman Richard Riordan and Western Victoria Region MP Beverley McArthur, are also likely to be rewarded for their support.

Former Pesutto loyalist-turned-Battin supporter James Newbury is tipped to receive the treasury portfolio.

However, three sources said there was lingering tension between Newbury and his party’s Coalition partner, the Nationals. Newbury has previously called for the opposition to consider a duck hunting ban and also criticised Premier Jacinta Allan and new Treasurer Jaclyn Symes for spearheading housing changes that would raise Melbourne’s suburban skyline while they live in regional Victoria.

One National MP source went as far as to say that Newbury receiving such a prominent position in the party would dent the Coalition’s regional vote.

“He has upset them all along,” a Liberal source added. “So that could be interesting.”

Newbury was contacted for comment.

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Two Coalition sources said new Nationals leader Danny O’Brien was acting as the “rudder of the ship” and gently pushing for strong media performers to stay in the shadow cabinet – even if they had not backed Battin.

“Danny’s approach to things is measured and practical,” one of the sources said. O’Brien was also contacted for comment.

But one Liberal source said the Nationals had lost some of their leverage in shaping the frontbench after O’Brien publicly endorsed the new leader.

Another MP speculated that Newbury could be rewarded with a different portfolio, such as shadow attorney-general, if there were too much resistance to the idea of him being treasurer.

Question marks remain over whether O’Brien, a moderate, will retain the attorney-general portfolio. The role is traditionally held by someone with a law degree, given the job involves being the state’s top lawyer and handling some justice responsibilities. O’Brien and Newbury are among Coalition MPs to have law degrees.

It is also not known if former upper house leader Georgie Crozier will retain the health portfolio.

Three MPs said Battin, prior to his appointment, was seeking to have a frontbench evenly split between males and females. If he were to push ahead with that plan, nearly all of the party’s 11 female MPs would secure frontbench positions.

One Coalition source suggested that first-term Warrandyte MP Nicole Werner was a frontbench contender given her strong speaking skills.

“She’s ambitious,” the source said.

Liberal MP Moira Deeming, who was readmitted to the party room shortly before Battin was installed as leader, has brushed off suggestions she is seeking a shadow cabinet position.

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Labor Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas issued a scathing assessment of Battin on Friday, attacking the gender make-up of his core leadership team and attendance at a November rally in Melbourne’s outer south-east.

“He has put together a right-wing leadership team that doesn’t include a single woman,” Thomas said.

“Last month, he [hosted] an angry rally against an Indian community in Melbourne which Nazis attended. The rally was against the same Indian community who travelled to the Grampians this week to cook and deliver supplies for people affected by bushfires.

“Brad Battin is extreme and unstable and not the kind of person who should be representing Victoria and making big decisions.”

The opposition leader rejected any assertion that he held extreme views.

“That is just a ridiculous comment from a person who’s trying to throw mud out of fear,” Battin said. “They [Labor] won’t even run here [in the seat of Prahran] because they’re scared of the result of the elections coming up.”

There is no suggestion that Battin, other speakers or event organisers invited the neo-Nazis or knew they would be joining the November rally, which was held in response to the renaming of a suburban lake.

An opposition spokesman previously said police had been immediately notified, and that Liberal MPs left the event as soon as they became aware of the individuals in question.

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Greens leader Ellen Sandell also accused the Coalition of shifting to the right amid Pesutto’s dumping.

“It seems the Liberals continue to be beholden to the extreme right wing of their party, at odds with the values of Victoria,” Sandell said.

A byelection is due next year in Prahran after the resignation of former Greens MP Sam Hibbins in November following revelations he had had an affair with a staffer. Labor has not fielded a candidate.

The Liberals ran second in Prahran at the 2022 state election, pulling just over 30 per cent of the primary vote compared with 36.4 per cent for the Greens. The Greens easily won the two-candidate count thanks to Labor preferences.

The Greens have selected St Kilda East environmental engineer Angelica Di Camillo as their candidate for the Prahran byelection.

Rachel Westaway, her Liberal challenger, is the South Yarra-based president of a Thailand-Australia business association.

The next state election is due in late 2026.

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