Displaced Liberal hopeful Grant Hutchinson seeks court-ordered reinstatement for Croydon seat

Grant Hutchinson was stripped of his Liberal candidacy for the Croydon electorate last week after the party cited undisclosed civil litigation with his former law firm, prompting his replacement by Toby Wooldridge. Hutchinson’s legal team, RV Lawyers, submitted a formal notice to the state executive demanding his reinstatement by Friday, claiming the party denied him a right of reply and violated its constitution. The letter asserts that Hutchinson disclosed the proceedings during the vetting and preselection stages and requests all documentation related to the disendorsement meeting.

Party officials, including Opposition Leader Jess Wilson, have refused to comment, stating the matter is internal. The dispute emerges weeks before early voting begins and could distract the Liberals as they aim to retain the marginal seat, held with a 1.4% margin after David Hodgett’s retirement. Hutchinson, aligned with the party’s religious right, warned that sidelining traditional conservatives could erode the party’s identity.