Victorian Liberal candidate Grant Hutchinson challenges disendorsement

Grant Hutchinson, a former parliamentary hopeful for the Victorian Liberal Party, has issued a legal letter challenging his removal as the party’s candidate for Croydon. Represented by RV Lawyers, Hutchinson alleges that the party’s state executive breached its constitution during an October 12 meeting when it cancelled his endorsement and immediately selected Toby Wooldridge as the new candidate.

The Liberal Party leadership previously stated that new information prompted the decision but did not provide specific details. Internal sources suggest the move was driven by concerns regarding an ongoing legal dispute between Hutchinson and his former law firm partners. Party officials reportedly feared that a discovery obligation in that dispute could force Hutchinson to share sensitive Liberal Party correspondence with his former partners, potentially making private materials public.

Hutchinson has expressed concerns to local branch members, questioning the authority of the State Executive in the decision-making process. The legal challenge arrives approximately six weeks before the November 28 election.