Sam Groth to exit parliament early and spark costly byelection

Former deputy opposition leader Sam Groth will exit parliament next week and force his electorate to the polls just months before the state election.

Groth, a former professional tennis player in his first term of parliament, had previously announced his intention to retire from politics and not contest the November election.

However, his decision to vacate the seat of Nepean early will trigger a byelection in his Mornington Peninsula electorate in the coming months.

Groth, who was absent during question time on Wednesday afternoon when news of his resignation broke, said he was resigning to pursue other opportunities.

“It has been an honour to serve the people of Nepean, and I sincerely thank them for the trust they placed in me for the opportunity to represent our community,” he said in a statement.

Groth said he wished Opposition Leader Jess Wilson and the Liberal Party all the best for the election.

“Most importantly, I thank my family, my wife Britt and our twin boys, for their unwavering love and support.”

Speaking to the media on Wednesday afternoon, Wilson said Groth told her of his decision on Tuesday, and that she did not attempt to talk him out of it.

“This is a decision that Sam’s taken in the best interest of his family. I completely understand that. I completely respect that,” she said. “Sam’s been really clear about the impact that this job has had on his family. And you know, I’ve said it before, politics is a really tough game.”

Wilson and Groth both last week rejected reports that the former deputy leader was looking to leave parliament early.

“As I stand here right now, there is a zero per cent chance of me causing a byelection in Nepean, because I don’t have a job on the table that I’m going to. At the moment, my intention is to serve out my term,” Groth said.

He first announced last month that he would be leaving parliament, blindsiding colleagues and castigating the Liberal team for infighting, saying public pressure on his family was significant.

“Realising that some of it came from within my own party has been difficult to ignore,” Groth said at the time. “Coming to that realisation has forced some very personal reflection.”

The member for Nepean and his wife launched court action against the Herald Sun newspaper last year over a series of articles that made spurious claims about the way their relationship began.

The case was settled in November, with the Groths receiving an apology from the newspaper and an undisclosed payout.

Sam Groth was also in the spotlight earlier last year for using then-deputy upper house leader Georgie Crozier’s chauffeur-driven car, which Groth defended as within the rules.

Wilson, who thanked Groth for his contribution, dismissed questions about whether the Liberal Party had a toxic culture or members were undermining one another. She said she had made her expectations clear to her team.

“I know that we’ve got a team that’s united, a team that is very much focused on, how do we change the government in November this year?” Wilson said.

Groth won Nepean from Labor at the 2022 election, achieving a 7.1 per cent swing. He rapidly rose within the party as a first-term MP to become deputy leader under Brad Battin in December 2024, having served in shadow portfolio roles of youth, tourism, sport and events.

Groth, who recontested for the deputy position in November when Wilson toppled Battin, had also stepped aside from the leadership and was last week replaced by David Southwick in a party room vote.

Labor sources not authorised to speak publicly said it was unlikely the party would contest the seat in a byelection.

Asked whether Labor should run in the byelection, Deputy Premier Ben Carroll said it would be a matter for the ALP head office.

In the overlapping federal seat of Flinders, the Liberals held off a teal independent challenger in a tight contest with a 2.29 per cent margin at last year’s election.

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