The Victorian Liberal Party has elected its first female leader.
Kew MP Jess Wilson successfully challenged Brad Battin for the leadership on Tuesday morning, also becoming state Opposition Leader.
It comes a day after NSW Nationals leader Dugald Saunders resigned suddenly, and as speculation mounts around NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman’s position.
Here’s what’s going on with the state Coalition leaders.
Victoria
The Victorian Liberal Party has voted in its third leader in 12 months.
Battin challenged former leader John Pesutto for the role in December 2024.
The ABC reported Battin’s colleagues told him on Monday that they did not support his leadership.
On Tuesday morning, Kew MP and Shadow Treasurer Jess Wilson successfully challenged Battin for the leadership.
Wilson is the first woman to lead the Liberals and the Coalition in Victoria.
After being elected leader, Wilson described the change as a “new generation Liberal team”.
Battin said the party “now has a very clear path to go towards the next election.”
The next Victorian state election is in November 2026.
NSW
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NSW Nationals leader Dugald Saunders stepped down on Monday, saying: “It is the right time for me to take a step back [and] to allow a new leader to take up the fight”.
Coffs Harbour MP and Nationals deputy leader Gurmesh Singh was chosen to replace him on Tuesday morning.
Singh ran unopposed for the leadership.
The leadership of the Nationals’ Coalition partner, the Liberals, is also under question.
Current leader Mark Speakman is rumoured to be facing a spill in the near future.
On Tuesday, the NSW Liberals voted to keep a policy of net zero by 2050, diverging from the federal Coalition and the NSW Nationals.
Multiple outlets have reported the party could meet again to vote on a leader later this week.
The next NSW election is due in March 2027.
Federal Opposition
TDA asked federal Opposition and Liberal Leader Sussan Ley about concerns over her leadership future on Monday.
Ley said: “I just don’t comment on commentary”.
“There’s all sorts of things in the media about ‘who said what to whom’. I pay no attention to it,” she added.
The next federal election must be held by May 2028.
