A lightning-fast leadership spill in Victoria has opened killing season for the Liberals , with the party finishing a year that had started with so much promise in turmoil in the country's three biggest jurisdictions.

Less than 18 hours after news broke of a looming leadership challenge for Brad Battin, first-term MP Jess Wilson this morning emerged as Victoria's new opposition leader.

The shock move means the state Liberal Party has had more leaders during this stint in opposition than they have years in government this century.

Battin might not finish the week as the only Liberal leader trying to pull a knife out of his back, with rumblings that Mark Speakman's future is also in danger.

The NSW opposition leader avoided a challenge at a party room meeting this morning, bu

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