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AAP
AAP
Politics
Callum Godde

Dutton to speak as Liberals pick Victorian president

Outgoing Victorian Liberal Party president Greg Mirabella is expected to run for a senate spot. (Mick Tsikas/AAP PHOTOS)

Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton will rally the Liberal faithful as the party gathers to elect a new Victorian president.

State party president Greg Mirabella is not seeking re-election at the two-day Victorian Liberal state council in Melbourne at the weekend.

The two candidates for the position are former upper house Liberal MP Philip Davis and federal vice-president Caroline Inge.

Mr Mirabella, the husband of former Howard government minister Sophie Mirabella, is expected to run for third spot on the Liberals' Victorian Senate ticket at the next federal election when it is decided in November.

The senior Liberal figure lost his Senate seat last year after United Australia Party's Ralph Babet secured the sixth and final spot.

He came under fire from Matthew Guy after citing voter dislike for the former Victorian opposition leader as a factor in the coalition's state election drubbing in November.

Rank-and-file Liberals will be addressed by Mr Dutton before Saturday's vote, with his state counterpart John Pesutto slated to speak on Sunday.

The last Victorian Liberal state council in May was marred when Mr Pesutto was booed and dozens of Liberal members walked out as he rose to give a speech.

The staged walk-out was prompted by the expulsion of first-term MP Moira Deeming from the parliamentary team after she threatened Mr Pesutto with defamation action over comments regarding her attendance at an anti-trans rally gatecrashed by neo-Nazis.

Mr Dutton had earlier flagged the prospect of federal intervention to deal with the internal "mess".

Mr Pesutto and Ms Deeming were involved in a three-hour mediation session this month that failed to reach an outcome, paving the way for a potential showdown in court.

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