Dumped Victorian Liberal candidate sends legal letter challenging removal

Grant Hutchinson alleges party breached its own constitution by ousting him as Croydon candidate six weeks before state election

By LineZotpaper

Published22 October 2026

Updated22 October 2026

Read Time2 min

Sources5 outlets

Grant Hutchinson, the dumped Liberal candidate for Croydon, has sent a legal letter to the Victorian Liberal Party challenging his termination, alleging the state executive breached its own constitution when it removed him and selected a replacement just six weeks from the November 28 election.

The legal letter, from RV Lawyers and seen by The Age, formally challenges the party's decision to disendorse Hutchinson and replace him with Toby Wooldridge, son of former federal health minister Michael Wooldridge. Liberal chiefs have refused to explain the move publicly, saying only that new information had come to light, but party sources told The Age there were concerns about an ongoing legal dispute between Hutchinson and the former partners of his law firm.

Three Liberal sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the state executive realised the party could be dragged into that court case, with discovery obligations potentially requiring Hutchinson to share party correspondence. One source said there was a risk sensitive material could become public.

Hutchinson's legal challenge argues that he was not given a fair opportunity to respond to the allegations, was not allowed to address the state executive before the vote, and that the meeting agenda did not fully disclose the removal vote until discussions were under way. He also claims his removal sends a message that conservative candidates are being shut out of preselection.

In a separate letter to state executive members, Hutchinson said he had kept the party informed of his legal case, including a meeting before the AFL grand final where he detailed a second potential case. "Had I been afforded the basic courtesy of addressing the State Executive before you determined my political future, many of the matters apparently relied upon ... could have been resolved," he wrote.

Opposition Leader Jess Wilson declined to comment, saying the matter was for the Liberal Party. The party also declined to comment.

The letter does not yet constitute a formal court proceeding, but raises the prospect of further legal action that would be damaging for the Victorian Liberals, who have been embroiled in high-profile court cases in recent years including Moira Deeming's successful defamation case against then-leader John Pesutto.

Analysis

Why This Matters

The legal challenge threatens to distract the Victorian Liberal Party from its election campaign just six weeks out from polling day.
A court case would compound the party's reputation for internal dysfunction, following the Moira Deeming defamation saga.
The outcome could set a precedent for how the party handles candidate selection disputes and the rights of preselectees.

Background

The Victorian Liberal Party has faced repeated internal divisions in recent years, most notably the fallout from the expulsion of former MP Moira Deeming. The September 12 state executive meeting at which Hutchinson's endorsement was cancelled was called without full notice to members of the agenda, according to party sources. Hutchinson had won preselection for the safe Liberal seat of Croydon earlier this year but was removed after concerns emerged about a legal dispute with former partners of his law firm. The party has not publicly detailed the specific allegations.

Key Perspectives

Grant Hutchinson: The spurned candidate argues he was denied procedural fairness, not allowed to speak to the executive, not given proper notice of the vote, and presented with incomplete information. He also claims the party is sidelining conservative candidates. Victorian Liberal Party state executive: Party sources say the removal was necessary to protect the party from being drawn into Hutchinson's private legal dispute, which could have exposed confidential party communications through discovery. Critics and observers: Another court case would reinforce perceptions of a party unable to manage its internal affairs, potentially damaging its electoral prospects in marginal seats and its broader appeal to voters tired of factional warfare.

What to Watch

Whether Hutchinson formally files a court proceeding, which would trigger another legal battle for the party.
The Liberal Party's response to the legal letter, whether it will seek to resolve the matter internally or defend its decision in court.
Any further fallout within the party, including reactions from conservative faction members who may feel aggrieved by the treatment of a candidate they supported.

Sources

Victorian Liberals slapped with legal letter from spurned candidate · Brisbane Times - Latest News
Victorian Liberals slapped with legal letter from spurned candidate · The Age - Latest News
Victorian Liberals slapped with legal letter from spurned candidate · WA Today - Latest News
Dumped candidate demands Victorian Liberals bring him back · Just In
Victorian Liberals slapped with legal letter from spurned candidate · Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News

Checked

12 claims in this story checked against 2 sources: 10 supported.

Show each claim

SupportedGrant Hutchinson sent a legal letter challenging his removal as the Liberal candidate for Croydon.The Age - Latest News: “Dumped parliamentary hopeful Grant Hutchinson has sent a legal letter to the Victorian Liberal Party challenging his termination as the party’s candidate for Croydon”
SupportedHutchinson alleges the party’s state executive breached its constitution when it removed him, about six weeks before the election.The Age - Latest News: “They allege the party’s state executive breached their constitution at a meeting on October 12 where they cancelled Hutchinson’s endorsement”
SupportedThe party removed Hutchinson and selected Toby Wooldridge as his replacement.The Age - Latest News: “where they cancelled Hutchinson’s endorsement and immediately selected a new candidate for Croydon, Toby Wooldridge”
SupportedWooldridge is the son of former federal health minister Michael Wooldridge.The Age - Latest News: “Toby Wooldridge, son of former federal health minister Michael Wooldridge.”
SupportedLiberal chiefs said publicly only that new information had come to light, while party figures told The Age of concerns about Hutchinson’s legal dispute with former law-firm partners.The Age - Latest News: “Liberal chiefs refused to publicly explain the move to dump its candidate so close to the November 28 poll, saying only that new information had come to light. But party figures told The Age there had been growing frustration with Hutchinson’s candidacy and concern over an ongoing legal dispute with the former partners of his law firm.”
Partly supportedThree anonymous Liberal sources linked the risk of the party being drawn into the case to discovery obligations that could require Hutchinson to share party correspondence.The Age - Latest News: “Three Liberal sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss confidential deliberations, said the state executive had realised the party could be dragged into the court case. One source said a discovery obligation was believed to require Hutchinson to share Liberal Party correspondence with his former legal partners”
SupportedHutchinson’s challenge says he was not given a fair chance to respond or address the executive, and that the meeting notice did not disclose the removal vote until discussion was under way.Just In: “The letter further alleges members of the state executive were not given proper notice to consider the meeting, because they were not given any prior warning they would be voting on Mr Hutchinson's candidacy or endorsing Mr Wooldridge.”
SupportedHutchinson said his removal sends a message that conservative candidates are being shut out of preselections.The Age - Latest News: “the cumulative effect sends a deeply troubling message: conservative members may be welcome to volunteer, campaign, donate and support the party, but are they still welcome to represent it?”
SupportedHutchinson wrote, “Had I been afforded the basic courtesy of addressing the State Executive before you determined my political future, many of the matters apparently relied upon ... could have been resolved”.The Age - Latest News: ““Had I been afforded the basic courtesy of addressing the State Executive before you determined my political future, many of the matters apparently relied upon, including matters previously clarified, addressed or withdrawn, could have been resolved,””
SupportedIn a separate letter, Hutchinson said he had kept the party informed about his case and discussed a second potential case at a meeting before the AFL grand final.The Age - Latest News: “Hutchinson said he had continued to provide information to the state director about the case, including a meeting the Thursday before the AFL grand final where he had detailed a second potential case”
SupportedWilson and the Liberal Party declined to comment, and the letter had not yet become a formal court proceeding.The Age - Latest News: “On Thursday, Opposition Leader Jess Wilson would not be drawn on Hutchinson’s claims. “That’s a matter for the Liberal Party,” she said. The Liberal Party declined to comment.”
Partly supportedThe Victorian Liberals have been embroiled in high-profile court cases in recent years, including Moira Deeming’s successful defamation case against John Pesutto.The Age - Latest News: “Another legal battle within the party would also be damaging for the Victorian Liberals, which have been dogged by court cases over the past four years including Moira Deeming’s successful defamation case against then-opposition leader John Pesutto.”