SHOCKING BLOW TO VICTORIAN LIBERALS: Deputy Leader Sam Groth QUITS Politics Citing ‘Toxic’ Party Infighting and ‘Unbearable’ Public Pressure on His Family
- Deputy Victorian Liberal Leader Sam Groth announces retirement, citing ‘public pressure’ on his family and party infighting
- Groth threatens legal action against Labor MP Mary-Anne Thomas over commentary on his decision
- Opposition Leader Jess Wilson insists internal conflicts within the Liberal partyroom are ‘in the past’
- Groth’s departure marks another blow to the Victorian Liberals, already reeling from internal divisions and public controversies
In a bombshell announcement, Deputy Victorian Liberal Leader Sam Groth has revealed he will retire from politics, citing the ‘unbearable’ public pressure on his family and the ‘toxic’ infighting within his own party. The former tennis pro’s decision to step away from parliament has sent shockwaves through the Victorian Liberals, already reeling from internal divisions and public controversies.
‘After many conversations with my wife and with a great deal of personal thought, I have informed the Leader of the Opposition that I have decided that I cannot continue in Parliament beyond the 2026 election,’ Groth said in a statement. ‘The public pressure placed on my family in recent months has been significant, and realising that some of it came from within my own party has been difficult to ignore.’
Groth’s decision comes after a tumultuous period for the Victorian Liberals, marked by internal conflicts and public controversies. The party has been plagued by infighting, with Groth himself at the centre of several high-profile disputes. The former tennis pro’s relationship with his wife, Brittany, has also been the subject of intense media scrutiny, with the couple embarking on a mammoth legal battle against the Herald Sun last year.
‘I entered public life to serve my community, to represent the Mornington Peninsula, and to stand up for what I believe is in the best interests of Victorians,’ Groth said. ‘But when you find yourself having to fight against your own team, it becomes impossible to put those interests first. That is not the standard I came into public life to accept, and it is not the kind of politics Victorians deserve.’
Opposition Leader Jess Wilson has insisted that internal conflicts within the Liberal partyroom are ‘in the past’, but Groth’s departure has raised fresh questions about the party’s ability to govern effectively. ‘Politics is a tough game. It’s a tough game for the individuals involved, but it can also be very tough on the families,’ Wilson said. ‘It’s disappointing not to have Sam as part of the team, but we know he will go on to do big things and we wish him the very best.’
Acting Premier Ben Carroll has seized on Groth’s retirement announcement, suggesting that the Liberal Party is ‘solely focused on fighting amongst themselves’. ‘Jess Wilson today cannot sugarcoat the statement that Sam Groth has released,’ Carroll said. ‘He’s stated in black and white for us all to see that the Liberal Party are there solely to fight amongst themselves.’
Groth’s departure marks another blow to the Victorian Liberals, already reeling from internal divisions and public controversies. The party will now be forced to regroup and refocus ahead of the 2026 election, with Groth’s retirement set to spark a heated debate about the party’s future direction.