'Lobster with a mobster' hurt liberals in Victorian polls
The Victorian Liberals' internal review into the landslide 2018 state election loss has found the then-opposition leader's infamous "lobster with a mobster" dinner caused enormous damage to the party.
The review led by Liberal elder statesman Tony Nutt said Matthew Guy's dinner with alleged mafia boss Tony Madafferi in the months leading up to the November election hurt the party's chances.
"It was used repeatedly and effectively to undermine him, obscure genuine concerns about community safety and protect Labor from Parliamentary scrutiny," the review released today said.
Leader of the Victorian Liberal party Matthew Guy and wife Renae announcing defeat after the landslide 2018 election. AAP
The review blasts Liberals responsible for the dinner, saying they "carry a heavy burden for the enormous damage done to Matthew Guy and the opposition team".
The review also found the Liberals' "African gangs" scare campaign fell flat, with voters seeing it as "political tactic" rather than a plan to make the state safer.
Incumbent Premier Daniel Andrews swept to a surprise landslide victory in November 2018, after only winning power with a slight majority in 2014.
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