State Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh has stepped down as the leader of the Nationals in Victoria and deputy leader of the Coalition.

Mr Walsh made the announcement on Tuesday, November 26, after a decade as state leader, but said he would continue “working hard” as the state Member for Murray Plains.

Beginning his political career in 2002 after winning the seat of Swan Hill, Mr Walsh went on to win the new seat of Murray Plains following a redistribution in 2014.

“It has been my privilege to serve the people of two electorates in regional Victoria, in particular, and the whole state in general,” Mr Walsh said.

“To have been able to lead the Nationals for 10 years and help return to party to the prominence it and its supporters deserve, with 11 members in the parliament, has been something which I look on with pride and satisfaction.”

Mr Walsh personally thanked staff members who had worked with him over the past 22 years, and said his work would not have been possible without their support.

“I cannot thank the people of the seats of Swan Hill and Murray Plains enough for their ongoing support, and trust in me, as their voice in the state’s parliament,” Mr Walsh said.

“I look forward to continuing to work on their behalf as we head towards the 2026 election and returning the right parties to government.”

Mr Walsh also thanked his wife, Liz, who he said had been his most loyal supporter.

“It will be almost impossible to repay her for the way she has been prepared to put up with the workload and long absences,” he said.

“I was so excited for her, and proud of her, when she received her OAM earlier this year — I was pretty convinced she got that mostly for putting up with me. Hopefully, she will be able to cope with me being around a bit more than she is used to.”

Born and raised in Boort, Mr Walsh took an interest in agriculture and water policy through his time farming and living in regional Victoria.

Before entering parliament, he owned and operated one of the state’s largest tomato growing operations as part of an irrigated horticulture and cropping enterprise, also producing cereals, oil seeds and legumes.

Through that role, he began community service as president of the Victorian Farmers Federation and as a director of the National Farmers’ Federation and SPC Limited.

Following work with the VFF, Mr Walsh entered politics, going on to serve as agriculture minister and water minister in the 2010 to 2014 government.

He was elected leader of the Victorian Nationals following the November 2014 state election.

Mr Walsh said the development of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan was one of his biggest political challenges, trying to ensure the rights of Victorian irrigators were fairly balanced with environmental needs.

While he said he believed that had been initially achieved, Mr Walsh said the federal and Victorian governments had “skewed the goals and long-term future of the strategy”.

Outside of politics, Mr Walsh said he was a keen footy fan, playing for Boort and serving as the club’s president, committee member and selector at various stages.

A lifelong Geelong supporter, he is hoping his new circumstances will allow time to attend more games.

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Sunday, 31st December 2023

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