Victorian Deputy Liberal Leader Sam Groth announces his retirement

The Socialist Bulletin Staff - 5/1/2026

FORMER tennis player and one-term MP Sam Groth, the Deputy Leader of the Victorian Liberals, has announced that he will not stand for re-election this year.

Newspaper The Herald Sun published allegations that Mr Groth sexually assaulted his wife when she was underage. Mr Groth has argued that this is defamation, and he has taken that organisation to court over their article.

Despite this, Groth alleges he has received 'pressure' from both the public, and from his own party, and as a result has decided to step away from parliament.

The Liberal leadership has undergone several changes in this latest parliamentary term, indicating a large amount of instability in the Coalition at a state level, and an inability for the Coalition to return to government after over a decade in the political wilderness.

Additionally, as Mr Groth will serve the entirety of his term, and seems set to serve in Liberal leadership until the next election - or until the next leadership coup in the party - this means that voters will not know what leadership team they are voting for if voters vote for the Coalition in November.

Several former Liberal leaders, including Jeff Kennett, have expressed shock at Mr Groth's retirement, describing him as "talent" despite the fact that, accurate or not, the controversies surrounding him have harmed the Liberal Party's reputation.