Maverick Frankston MP Geoff Shaw has officially resigned from the Liberal Party ahead of a vote to expel him.
Mr Shaw, who holds the balance of power in the Victorian Parliament, quit the parliamentary branch of the party just over 12 months ago triggering the demise of Ted Baillieu’s premiership.
Despite quitting the government, Mr Shaw remained a member of the Liberal Party and last year indicated he wanted to rejoin the party once his court case was resolved.
In February, the Liberal Party began the process to expel the colourful MP from the party. The party’s state council was due to meet this Friday to vote on his expulsion.
In a brief statement from the party on Monday evening, it was confirmed that Mr Shaw had submitted his resignation. Friday’s meeting has been cancelled.
The Frankston MP, who can vote down any government legislation with the Labor party, intends to contest the November 29 state election.
“I look forward to contending the state election in November as an independent,” Mr Shaw said in a statement posted on his website.
On his Facebook page Mr Shaw also lashed out at the party saying the information regarding his resignation had been released to the media less than 30 minutes after it was tendered to the party at 5:25pm.
“It seems that there is not only leaks from parliamentary committees, but also private Liberal Party correspondence,” he wrote on Facebook.
Deputy Opposition Leader James Merlino said it was just another chapter in the dysfunctional Victorian Government weakly led by Denis Napthine.
“There was no guarantee that Geoff Shaw would have been expelled on Friday and by resigning Geoff Shaw has saved Denis Napthine from losing another internal Liberal ballot,” Mr Merlino said.
