Victorian Liberal MP Sam Groth has announced he will quit politics after the next state election, claiming internal party battles and relentless pressure have hounded him out.
The deputy leader of the state’s Liberal Party revealed he told the Opposition Leader Jess Wilson that he will not recontest in 2026.
In a bombshell statement, the Nepean MP accused his own colleagues of making his position ‘impossible.’
‘I cannot continue in Parliament beyond the 2026 election,’ Groth said.
‘The public pressure placed on my family has been significant, and realising some of it came from within my own party has been difficult to ignore.’
Groth said he entered politics to serve the Mornington Peninsula and fight for Victorians, but admitted that constant infighting had derailed that mission.
‘When you find yourself having to fight against your own team, it becomes impossible to put those interests first,’ he said.
‘That is not the standard I came into public life to accept.’
Sam Groth (pictured) accused his Liberal colleagues of making his job ‘impossible’
Sam Groth (left) was elected in 2022 and was made Deputy Liberal Leader in 2024
The former tennis star described recent months as ‘extremely challenging’ for his family and vowed to spend the summer considering his next move.
‘We took on this role for the right reasons – to make a positive difference. That purpose has never changed, but the environment around it has,’ he added.
Groth will stay on until the next election but said he would not speak further for the time being.
He previously hinted at personal struggles on social media, posting on January 1: ‘Through it all, this is what matters most! Glad to see the back of 2025!’ alongside photos and videos of his children and wife Brittany.
The announcement poses a significant challenge for Wilson, who now faces the task of appointing a new deputy leader with just 11 months until Victorians head to the polls in November.
Wilson has enjoyed momentum since taking over the Liberal leadership from Brad Battin late last year.
A recent Resolve poll found the Victorian Liberals holding a narrow lead over Labor, 51 per cent to 49 per cent, on a two-party-preferred basis.
The poll found Wilson enjoys a commanding 17-point lead over Labor’s Jacinta Allan as the preferred Premier of Victoria.
