CROYDON · CANDIDATE CHANGE · REVIEWED 17 OCTOBER 2026
What is confirmed
The Victorian Liberal Party state executive resolved on Monday 12 October to cancel Grant Hutchinson's endorsement as the party's candidate for Croydon. The party selected Toby Wooldridge as the replacement candidate.
Opposition Leader Jess Wilson said "new information" had emerged about a civil case involving Hutchinson. ABC reported that the existence of the litigation had already been public knowledge since 2025, while Liberal sources quoted by the ABC differed over the reason and timing of the change.
Hutchinson's response
In a written response supplied to this archive, Hutchinson says he had disclosed relevant matters to the party and provided court documents on more than one occasion. He questions reliance on ongoing legal discovery as the principal justification for removing him and says he was denied the opportunity to address the State Executive.
Evidence status: those statements are Hutchinson's account. They are not findings by this project or by a court.
Why the timing drew attention
ABC reported that one Liberal source described Wooldridge's selection as a "captain's pick", while other sources said the litigation was already well known. Those descriptions are attributed to the ABC's sources; they do not establish an improper motive.
Ballot-status warning: candidate nominations open 4 November and close at noon on 9 November. Party endorsement before then is not the same as final VEC nomination.