Victoria could see two women contesting the state election as leaders of their respective parties for the first time if a Liberal leadership challenge is successful later today.<\/p>\n
Member for Kew Jess Wilson is expected to challenge current Opposition Leader Brad Battin on Tuesday morning, following growing discontent over his performance as leader.<\/p>\n
A cross-factional delegation of MPs visited Mr Battin on Monday afternoon to inform him that he had lost the support of the party room.<\/p>\n
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Brad Battin and Jess Wilson will face off in a leadership contest on Tuesday. (AAP: James Ross\/Joel Carrett)<\/p>\n
Mr Battin has only held the position since last December after launching his own leadership coup against former leader John Pesutto.<\/p>\n
Ms Wilson nominated herself for the leadership during that spill, but was eliminated in the first round of voting.<\/p>\n
Less than 12 months later, she has returned to contest the leadership again, attempting to cap off a stunning rise through the party ranks in just her first term in parliament.<\/p>\n
Meteoric rise to top of Liberal Party<\/p>\n
Ms Wilson is one of the newest Liberal MPs, having been elected as the member for Kew at the 2022 state election.<\/p>\n
She defeated five contenders to win the preselection, replacing former frontbencher Tim Smith, who was pressured into not recontesting the seat after crashing his car into a family home while allegedly drink-driving<\/a>.<\/p>\n Prior to that, she worked for accounting firm KPMG and served as an adviser for former federal MP for Kooyong, Josh Frydenberg.<\/p>\n Originally from Mont Albert in Melbourne’s inner-east, Ms Wilson brings political pedigree to the role, with her father Ron Wilson serving as member for Bennettswood from 1999 until its abolition in 2002.<\/p>\n In her first speech to parliament, she paid tribute to her father.\u00a0<\/p>\n “Dad was my first political hero and, while it might be said that I followed in Dad\u2019s footsteps as president of Monash Liberal Club, as Victorian Young Liberal state president and now as a member of this assembly, I have also carved out my own path,” she said.<\/p>\n