Victorian administrative committee member Ian Quick wrote to fellow members on Monday night to signal plans to get 50 signatures from ordinary members to call the state council meeting to challenge the administrative committee on the issue. “We must open preselections for all safe and marginal lower house seats, and all Senate seats, as quickly as possible,” he wrote, in an email later sent to Fairfax Media. “If the administrative committee is not prepared to do that, then I fear that our grass roots membership will have no choice but to convene a special state council to address this matter.” One senior Liberal warned against Mr Quick's move on the grounds that the "price of peace" in the state division was to avoid acrimonious challenges ahead of the state election in November and the federal election pencilled in for early next year. "I don't think any MP would want to be associated with putting on a state council meeting so close to the state election," he said.

Conservatives regard Mr Quick's move as a "disruptive" tactic that will only cause trouble for state Liberal leader Matthew Guy, a member of the administrative committee. Another member of the peak committee, federal Communications Minister Mitch Fifield, would not comment other than to say that preselections are a matter for the party organisation. The Victorian division’s constitution gives members the right to call a state council meeting at any time provided they have 50 signatures from state council members. Sources on all sides said they did not doubt Mr Quick could gain those signatures if he chose. "I'm very confident 50 signatures could be reached in a heartbeat," said one. Another said the plan to deny members a vote on their candidates was "outrageous" and the 50 signatures could be secured within 24 hours.

Fairfax Media revealed last month that Liberal Party powerbrokers were close to an agreement that would scrap the preselection votes by party members that usually select candidates for the election, a rare move that would confirm existing MPs in their seats. This would stop challenges to MPs including Mr Andrews, key marginal seat member Julia Banks, regional MP Russell Broadbent, Revenue Minister Kelly O’Dwyer and former Human Rights commissioner Tim Wilson, all of whom have been the subject of speculation about challenges from aspiring Liberal candidates. Mr Quick singled out Mr Kroger in his email to the 19 members of the administrative committee, citing the state president's comments in the past that even Malcolm Fraser faced a Liberal preselection challenge when he was prime minister. Mr Quick also reminded Mr Bastiaan of previous comments that no politician was entitled to automatic endorsement. While the conservatives have a majority on the state executive and the administrative committee that handles preselection matters, this would be tested at a full state council meeting.