Liberal candidate for marginal seat dumped weeks out from election

The Victorian opposition has replaced its candidate for a marginal seat in Melbourne's east. Opposition leader Jess Wilson says Grant Hutchinson was disendorsed after new information came to light about a civil case he is involved in. Toby Wooldridge will now stand as the candidate for Croydon in the November 28 poll. Opposition leader Jess Wilson has insisted the Liberal Party has tough vetting processes after the party moved to disendorse another candidate, less than seven weeks out from the Victorian election. Grant Hutchinson was removed as the candidate for Croydon on Monday night, with the party citing litigation Mr Hutchinson is involved in, despite the lawsuit being public knowledge since last year. Asked about the decision on Tuesday, Ms Wilson said further details about the lawsuit Mr Hutchinson brought against his own law firm had come to the party's attention. "It's no longer appropriate for him to be a candidate," Ms Wilson said. Asked whether she was confident with the party's vetting, she said: "Yes." "As I said … new information has come to light." Mr Hutchinson was replaced by Toby Wooldridge, the son of former federal Liberal minister Michael Wooldridge and nephew of former MP Mary Wooldridge. Candidate swap labelled 'captain's pick' Mr Hutchinson is staunchly from the party's religious right and his endorsement last year astounded some Liberal members. The senior lawyer previously launched a civil lawsuit against his own law firm, prompting a counterclaim, as reported by some media last year. One Liberal figure said the party was concerned with the prospect the case could drag out. Another source said those with knowledge of the court case were bewildered by the party's decision to dump Mr Hutchinson, because the case was well-known in political circles and there had been no recent developments. They suspected Mr Wooldridge was the preferred candidate and a third source described the change as a "captain's pick". Ms Wilson is a member of the state executive that voted to disendorse Mr Hutchinson on Monday night. Mr Hutchinson did not respond to requests for comment. Longstanding member for Croydon, David Hodgett, is retiring at the election after 20 years in parliament. The Liberal Party holds the seat by a margin of just 1.4 per cent but would expect to extend its lead in the electorate at the November 28 election.