Vic: Doyle quietly confident of toppling Napthine
MELBOURNE, Aug 19 AAP - Dumped opposition frontbencher Robert Doyle was quietly confidenthe had the numbers to topple Victorian Liberal leader Denis Napthine, a party insidersaid today.
"The numbers are shoring up very quickly. He is feeling quietly confident," a sourceclose to Mr Doyle said.
Mr Doyle, who was sacked as opposition health spokesman last week after failing togive full support to Dr Napthine, will challenge the leadership at a party-room meetingtomorrow.
The source, who did not want to be named, said more MPs had come on side over the weekendand the vote was going to be close.
He said comments by former Premier Jeff Kennett on his radio program on Thursday hadhelped "tipped the balance" for some MPs who had decided to back Mr Doyle.
Mr Kennett, who supports Dr Napthine, called on Mr Doyle to resign, saying he had alwaysput his ambition ahead of his commitment to the party.
Mr Doyle, the MP for Malvern, today said he would not embark on revenge sackings amongopposition frontbenchers if elected.
"... there'll be no payback, there won't be massive changes," he told 3AW.
"Instead there will just be a refocused and reappointed team all working together."
Dr Napthine, who held a shadow cabinet meeting in Ballarat today, has languished inthe opinion polls but said there was "no chance" he would lose the leadership.
"I have got very broad support through the shadow cabinet and throughout the lengthand breadth of the party," he told reporters.
The Bracks Government can call an election from November 30, with the poll widely tippedto be held this year.
AAP lmw/kw/jmd
KEYWORD: NAPTHINE DOYLE
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