Liberal Party state director resigns after texts mocking women and MP

4 days ago 6

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Victorian Liberal state director Stuart Smith has resigned “in the best interests of the party” after leaked texts showed he made disparaging remarks about a women’s group and an MP.

The Australian published leaked WhatsApp messages on Wednesday night, showing Smith joking that Liberal MP Bev McArthur had dementia and suggesting that the women’s council had only passed a resolution when two men told them to.

Stuart Smith has resigned as state director of the Victorian Liberal Party.

A view immediately grew among Liberals that he would need to resign.

“In the best interests of the party, I have tendered my resignation to minimise distractions from the important task of winning the next election,” Smith said in a statement on Thursday morning.

“I regret the comments and have apologised for them. I thank the party for the opportunity and wish the team well.”

The Age had not obtained the text messages in question by Thursday morning. However, this masthead previously reported the existence of a WhatsApp group involving Smith in May, when the former executive director of the party’s fundraising body, Enterprise Victoria, lodged a Fair Work dispute. That dispute has since been settled.

His resignation comes at a crucial time for the Victorian Liberal Party. President Phil Davis is facing a challenge from his predecessor Greg Mirabella at state council on Monday, and preselections for all lower house seats open on Monday ahead of next year’s state election.

Smith was aligned to Davis.

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