Mirabella said the Coalition avoided a WA-style wipeout with a solid campaign,with both he and McQuestin emphasising the precarious position of the party before the election.

Both heralded large swings to the Coalition in the west and north that could lead to a win in four years time and an equal number of Coalition and Labor MPs in the upper house.

Mirabella also recounted a meeting of the federal executive last week,where Opposition Leader Peter Dutton expressed his delight at the lack of success by teal candidates.

“I made the comment that not a single pale blue independent got up. And Peter Dutton leaned forward and said ‘that is the best news out of the Victorian election’,” he said.

The party will choose a new leader this week out ofHawthorn MP John Pesutto andBerwick MP Brad Battin.

Mirabella,who drew cheers when he spoke of the urgent need to reform the Victorian branch and create a new image for the party,said he had spoken to leadership aspirants since the election.

“I said to them,‘thanks for letting me know,and just so you know,it is my view that the parliamentary wing has lost its sole right to determine the future of this division’,” he said.

“Further,I said,I don’t want to see a party leader who is aspiring to the party leadership because it is just their turn … I want to see a leader who is prepared to be part of a plan.”

McQuestin told members the opposition’s policy development needed to start long before the election because “you can’t fatten a pig on market day”.

He claimed the opposition out-campaigned Labor “when we were not interfered with by friendly fire”,referencing a string of negative stories,including aWorkSafe probe into the party’s head office over online bullying claims,adonation saga involving Matthew Guy’s former chief of staff,theearly release of policies,anda candidate’s links to a radical church.

“Regrettably,all of these factors … contributed to seeing the results in our research drop in the last 10 days from an expected swing of 7 per cent towards us,which would have forced Labor into a minority,to only 3.5 per cent,” he said.

“Internal disputes were our biggest enemy. Not Labor.”

Labor has so far won 53 seats,with counting continuing in Preston,Pakenham,and Bass.

McQuestin also noted NSW Liberal Premier Dominic Perrottet’s decision to hold joint media events with Andrews and said shadow treasurer David Davis’ inability to sayhow much his election promises would cost two days before the election damaged the opposition’s economic credibility.

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