Victoria's latest Liberal Party leader has laid out her vision for the state after a swift coup set the scene for a historic election clash.
State Opposition leader Brad Battin lost the leadership to Kew MP Jess Wilson on Tuesday morning after a successful spill. The 35-year-old Wilson is the state party's third leader in 11 months after John Pesutto was dumped and replaced by Battin in late December.
A delegation of Liberal MPs visited Battin on Monday afternoon and told him he had lost party room support, with others then calling him to deliver the same message.
The former police officer did not nominate after losing the spill motion 19 votes to 13, paving the way for Wilson to be elected unopposed.
Wilson described Battin as a "tireless" worker for the party and said he would have a key role in her team.
Jess Wilson becomes the first-ever female leader of the Victorian Liberal Party. Source: AAP / Joel Carrett
"Victorians have a clear choice," Wilson said.
"A choice between a tired, out-of-touch Labor government or a new generation Liberal team."
Speaking to reporters after the spill, Battin said: "The vote didn't go my way."
"I stand continuously proud in the role that I've done and the things that I've done for the community.
Dumped leader Brad Battin said the Victorian Liberals now had a "clear path to go towards the next election". Source: AAP / Joel Carrett
Former tennis ace turned MP Sam Groth fended off David Southwick to remain the party's deputy leader.
Bev McArthur replaced David Davis as the party's upper house leader, with Evan Mulholland retaining his upper house deputy position to round out Wilson's leadership team.
Wilson is a former staffer to former federal treasurer Josh Frydenberg and has previous experience as an executive of the Business Council of Australia. She was immediately elevated to the key portfolio of education after entering parliament in 2022.
Wilson is viewed as a more electorally potent challenger to Labor as a member of the party's moderate wing and a young mother with business savvy.
The Victorian branch of the Liberal Party has never had a female leader before.
Opposition support slipping
Support for the Victorian Opposition had slipped in recent reputable polls, although one published by The Herald Sun newspaper on Tuesday had the Coalition narrowly ahead of Labour on a two-party-preferred basis.
Liberal MPs had quietly complained about Battin's lack of focus on issues other than crime in the state.
The strategy rebounded last week when Labor unveiled a series of policies to crack down on crime, catching the Opposition out.
The leadership coup sets up a head-to-head battle between Wilson and Premier Jacinta Allan to run the state.
The state Coalition will need to gain at least 17 extra seats to form a majority government.
The Liberals and Nationals have been out of power in Victoria for all but four years since the turn of the century.
Tensions within the party have simmered since a crushing defeat at the 2022 election, spilling into a defamation lawsuit launched by Liberal MP Moira Deeming against Pesutto.
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