Groth faces accountability calls over car incident

Tensions are simmering within Victoria's Liberal Party after fresh revelations about a state MP's misuse of a taxpayer-funded vehicle sparked public demands for accountability—and exposed uncomfortable rifts within the party itself.

The controversy centres on Sam Groth, deputy leader of the Victorian Liberals and former professional tennis player, who used a colleague's chauffeur-driven car for a private journey in January 2024. Following a day at the Australian Open—where Groth had hosted a political fundraiser alongside Nationals MP Jade Benham before reportedly becoming heavily intoxicated at a social gathering at the tennis venue—he and his wife were driven home to Rye on the Mornington Peninsula, roughly 100 kilometres away.

The vehicle belonged to Georgie Crozier, then the Liberal Party's opposition leader in the upper house. Rather than let the matter rest, Crozier has publicly voiced her frustration with her colleague. "I'm incredibly disappointed," she told reporters on Friday afternoon. "I think that Sam needs to explain his actions. I can't." Her candid criticism signals serious concerns among senior Liberals about the incident and what it suggests about parliamentary standards.

Groth, who held the shadow portfolio for tourism, sport and events at the time, has denied wrongdoing and issued a statement saying he "has nothing to hide." He argues he attended the Open in both an official political capacity and as a private citizen. Yet that distinction does little to address the core issue preoccupying his party colleagues: the apparent use of a public figure's official vehicle to provide a personal ride home after an evening of heavy drinking.

For everyday Victorians, the spat highlights a troubling pattern of judgment lapses among elected representatives and raises urgent questions about how public resources are deployed. The fact that a senior opposition figure felt compelled to publicly rebuke a colleague within her own party underscores the seriousness with which the incident is being taken. It also exposes deeper concerns about the standards of conduct expected of those holding shadow ministerial roles, and whether greater oversight of such arrangements is needed.

The incident comes at a time when public trust in political leadership remains fragile, and voters are increasingly intolerant of behaviour that appears to blur the lines between personal entitlement and public responsibility. Groth's explanation will face scrutiny not just from within his party but from the broader Victorian community. Whether his clarification satisfies those demands for accountability will likely shape perceptions of Liberal credibility as the party prepares for future elections. The row may have begun behind the scenes, but its implications extend far beyond internal party politics.