Eight days into Financial Services Minister Kelly O'Dwyer's maternity leave, vexed Victorian Liberals have moved to replace her.

Fairfax Media has confirmed Tony Abbott's former chief-of-staff turned political commentator Peta Credlin has been encouraged to run against Ms O'Dwyer in the blue ribbon seat of Higgins, as a rebuke to the minister for the government's soon-to-be enacted changes to superannuation.

It is understood that a number of branches within Ms O'Dwyer's electorate, which takes in Toorak, one of Australia's wealthiest suburbs, have chosen to meet when federal parliament is sitting, ensuring Ms O'Dwyer cannot attend.

"It's not factional at all," said one senior Victorian Liberal.