Jessica Kate Wilson (born 25 April 1990) is an Australian politician who has served as the leader of the Opposition in Victoria and the leader of the Victorian Liberal Party since 2025. She has been the member of parliament (MP) for the district of Kew since 2022.
Jess Wilson | |
|---|---|
.png) Wilson in 2023 | |
| Leader of the Opposition in Victoria | |
| Assumed office 18 November 2025 | |
| Premier | Jacinta Allan |
| Deputy | Sam Groth David Southwick |
| Preceded by | Brad Battin |
| Leader of the Victorian Liberal Party | |
| Assumed office 18 November 2025 | |
| Deputy | Sam Groth David Southwick |
| Preceded by | Brad Battin |
| Member of the Victorian Parliament for Kew | |
| Assumed office 26 November 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Tim Smith |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Jessica Kate Wilson 25 April 1990 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Party | Liberal |
Other political affiliations | Coalition |
| Spouse | Aaron Lane |
| Parent | Ron Wilson |
| Monash University | |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
| Website | Personal website Party website |
Prior to entering politics, Wilson was Executive Director of Policy at the Business Council of Australia. She is the daughter of former state MP Ron Wilson.
Political career
editPrior to her candidacy for the seat of Kew, Wilson worked as an adviser to former federal treasurer Josh Frydenberg and as Executive Director of Policy at the Business Council of Australia.[1] Additionally, she was a former president of the Victorian Young Liberals in 2016.[2] During her time as the leader of the Young Liberals, she faced and narrowly survived a challenge from self-described 'small-l-liberals', over frustration with the influence of the Institute of Public Affairs, a conservative think tank.[3]
Wilson was preselected to be Liberal candidate for the traditionally safe Liberal seat of Kew after defeating a number of pre-selection candidates including a senior Victorian Liberal figure, David Davis.[1] At the 2022 Victorian state election, she defeated teal independent Sophie Torney (who later became the Mayor of Boroondara) and Labor candidate Lucy Skelton.[4]
On 18 December 2022, Liberal Party leader John Pesutto announced that Wilson would join the opposition front bench, becoming the shadow minister for finance, shadow minister for economic reform and regulation, and shadow minister for home ownership and housing affordability.[5] On 2 October 2023, as part of a shadow cabinet reshuffle, Wilson became the Shadow Minister for Early Childhood and Education in lieu of Home Ownership and Housing Affordability, retaining the Shadow Minister for Finance, and Shadow Minister for Economic Reform and Regulation portfolios.[6]
On 26 December 2024, Wilson announced that she would nominate for the leadership of the Victorian Liberal Parliamentary Party if the following day's spill motion was successful.[7] She was eliminated in the first round of voting.[8] She was subsequently made shadow minister for education and shadow minister for industry and economic growth, replacing her previous portfolios.[9][non-primary source needed]
After a shadow cabinet reshuffle caused by the resignation of two senior Liberal MPs, on 11 October 2025, Wilson was given the senior position of Shadow Treasurer of Victoria, replacing her other portfolios.[10]
In October 2025, the ABC reported that Wilson is the most likely person to succeed Brad Battin amid growing frustration among MPs of the Victorian Liberal party.[11]
Leadership spill
editOn 17 November 2025, ABC News reported that a cross-factional delegation of Liberal MPs informed Liberal leader Brad Battin that he had lost the support of the party room and that it understood that Wilson would nominate for the leadership of the party in a spill the following morning.[12]
At the full Liberal party room meeting, members of the party's caucus voted 19 to 13 to allow the spill, after which Wilson was elected unopposed.[13] Wilson became the first woman to lead the Victorian Liberals.[14]
Opposition leader (2025–present)
editOn 30 November 2025, Wilson announced her shadow cabinet.[15] The ministry was notable for including former Liberal leaders Brad Battin, who led the party before Wilson, and Matthew Guy, while excluding John Pesutto.[16] Furthermore, Wilson retained her shadow treasurer role, breaking with Liberal Party precedent of the deputy having the treasury portfolio.[16]
Wilson, on 28 November 2025, announced that she would move a bill to ban coercive control, while seeking bipartisan support for the ban.[17] On 3 December 2025, the Allan Government matched Wilson's commitment to criminalisation.[18]
In April 2026, Wilson announced a series of justice policies, including expanding the range of offences treated as adult crimes to include burglary, serious assault and attempted murder, introducing a "one-strike" bail rule where offenders who reoffend while on bail would be automatically refused.[19]
In May 2026, Wilson unveiled a 10-year economic plan, which included a freeze non-frontline public sector positions through attrition.[20]
In May 2026 Wilson hosted a press conference at a restaurant with Perry Le Greco, where she told journalists that Le Greco was the owner of the restaurant and that the business was at risk of shutting down. Le Greco had been jailed for stealing $224,008 from a Melbourne kindergarten association and his criminal past was revealed later in the week, along with a confirmation from the real owner of the restaurant that Le Greco had never owned the tavern and was not employed at the restaurant.[21]
Political positions
editPersonal life
editWilson grew up in Melbourne's inner east. Her father Ron was also a Liberal Party state MP, being the member for Bennettswood between 1999 and 2002.[26]
Wilson attended Mont Albert Primary School and Strathcona Baptist Girls Grammar, and completed tertiary education at Monash University. Wilson played hockey for the Kew Box Hill Hockey Club, and barracks for the Collingwood Football Club.[27]
Wilson identifies as a Roman Catholic.[28][non-primary source needed]
References
edit- 1 2 Willingham, Richard (11 December 2021). "Former Liberal MP Tim Smith's replacement decided ahead of 2022 Victorian election". ABC News. Archived from the original on 21 September 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
- ↑ Ilanbey, Sumeyya (7 November 2021). "Ex-Frydenberg staffer shapes as front runner to take Smith's Kew seat". The Age. Archived from the original on 21 September 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
- ↑ "Turf wars and tussles within the Young Liberals". ABC News. 30 June 2016. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
- ↑ Ilanbey, Sumeyya; Annika, Smethurst (26 August 2022). "Shadow of drink-drive MP lingers over battle for Kew, as teals name candidate". The Age. Archived from the original on 21 September 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
- ↑ "Victorian Liberals create justice reform and housing affordability roles in new frontbench". ABC News. 18 December 2022. Archived from the original on 20 December 2022. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
- ↑ Godde, Callum (2 October 2023). "Cabinet and opposition refresh after Andrews bows out". The West Australian. Australian Associated Press. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
- ↑ Jaeger, Carla; Le Grand, Chip (26 December 2024). "Wilson, Battin to challenge for leadership, as crucial vote to be put to MPs". The Age. Retrieved 26 December 2024.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ↑ Jaeger, Carla; Carmody, Broede (27 December 2024). "Brad Battin, having rolled Pesutto, promises unity and makes election pitch". The Age. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
Wilson, considered a moderate and rising star, finished third in the first-round ballot, leaving Battin and Crewther as the candidates in the final vote, which Battin won 21-7.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ↑ "Battin and O'Brien present Victoria's alternative government". www.bradbattin.com.au. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
- ↑ "Victorian opposition unveils new shadow cabinet ahead of 2026 state election". ABC News. 11 October 2025. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
- ↑ Willingham, Richard (17 October 2025). "Less than a year in, Victoria's opposition leader may be on borrowed time". ABC News. Retrieved 11 November 2025.
- ↑ Willingham, Richard (17 November 2025). "Victorian Liberal leader Brad Battin facing leadership challenge". ABC News. Retrieved 17 November 2025.
- ↑ "Victorian Liberal MPs choose Jess Wilson as new opposition leader". ABC News. 18 November 2025.
- ↑ Belot, Henry (18 November 2025). "Who is Jess Wilson and should the Victorian Labor government be worried?". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 18 November 2025.
- ↑ Godde, Callum (30 November 2025). "Liberal leader takes treasury role in frontbench reshuffle". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
- 1 2 "New leader Jess Wilson to remain Vic shadow treasurer under reshuffle". ABC News. 30 November 2025. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
- ↑ "Victorian opposition leader targets domestic violence in first policy". ABC News. 28 November 2025. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
- ↑ Kolovos, Benita (3 December 2025). "Victorian Labor to introduce stand-alone coercive control offence in backflip to match opposition policy". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
- ↑ "Victorian opposition pledges to toughen bail and sentencing laws". ABC News. 14 April 2026. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
- ↑ Ilanbey, Sumeyya (12 May 2026). "Victorian Liberals stake election bid on 10-year economic plan". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
- ↑ Bourke, Ryan (29 May 2026). "Jess Wilson left red-faced after hosting press conference with man jailed for stealing from kindergarten". Herald Sun. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
- ↑ Smethurst, Annika (12 August 2023). "The sole Victorian Liberal MP publicly backing the Voice". The Age. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ↑ Ilanbey, Sumeyya (7 November 2021). "Ex-Frydenberg staffer shapes as front runner to take Smith's Kew seat". The Age. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
- ↑ "Embattled John Pesutto makes bid to shore up support ahead of Victorian Liberal leadership spill". the Guardian. 24 December 2024. Archived from the original on 24 December 2024. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
- ↑ "With John Pesutto's days as Victorian Liberal leader likely numbered, will it be third time lucky for Brad Battin?". the Guardian. 23 December 2024. Archived from the original on 23 December 2024. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
- ↑ Coster, Alice (5 November 2021). "The QC, the mojitos and the phantom: Inside Tim Smith's disastrous night". Herald Sun. Archived from the original on 14 November 2022. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
- ↑ Wilson, Jess. "Meet Jess". www.jesswilsonkew.com.au. Archived from the original on 21 September 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
- ↑ Wilson, Jess. "Maiden Speech". Jess Wilson MP.