Liberal Party Dumps Croydon Candidate Grant Hutchinson Weeks Out from Victorian Election

The Victorian opposition has replaced its candidate for the marginal seat of Croydon in Melbourne's east, just weeks out from the state election. Opposition leader Jess Wilson announced that Grant Hutchinson had been disendorsed as the Liberal candidate for Croydon, citing new information about a civil case he is involved in.

New Candidate Announced

Toby Wooldridge will now stand as the candidate for Croydon in the November 28 poll. Mr. Wooldridge is the son of former federal Liberal minister Michael Wooldridge and nephew of former MP Mary Wooldridge.

Reasons for Disendorsement

Ms. Wilson insisted that the Liberal Party has tough vetting processes in place, despite the controversy surrounding Mr. Hutchinson's disendorsement. "It's no longer appropriate for him to be a candidate," Ms. Wilson said. "As I said … new information has come to light."

When asked whether she was confident with the party's vetting process, Ms. Wilson replied: "Yes."

Background on Grant Hutchinson

Mr. Hutchinson, a staunch member of the party's religious right, was initially endorsed as the candidate for Croydon last year, despite some Liberal members expressing concerns. He had launched a civil lawsuit against his own law firm, prompting a counterclaim, which was reported in the media last year.

One Liberal figure described the decision to dump Mr. Hutchinson as a "captain's pick," suggesting that Mr. Wooldridge was the preferred candidate all along.

Implications for the Election

The Liberal Party holds the seat of Croydon by a margin of just 1.4 per cent, but is expected to extend its lead in the electorate at the November 28 election. Longstanding member for Croydon, David Hodgett, is retiring at the election after 20 years in parliament.