“Whether it’s New Zealand, England, Ireland, where they can come across here into Victoria… it gives them the opportunity to come across, but it also fills the void of recruiting in a shorter period of time.”

Victorian Opposition Leader Jess Wilson also called on the government to confirm that no taxpayer funds had been used to purchase followers.

"For more than four decades they have been the friendly faces behind the counter, greeting every parcel and every customer with a smile.”

She additionally recognised the contributions of volunteers from multicultural backgrounds, including members of the Indian Australian community serving in the brigade.

“The Allan Labor government can’t afford to mow the grass anymore. So we decided to do it for them,” she said.

Critics argue the aggression reflects a government struggling to recalibrate its message against a leader who is neither internally divisive nor easily dismissed.

The incident has intensified scrutiny of the $26 billion North East Link project, which will connect the Eastern Freeway at Bulleen via a 10-kilometre corridor including 6.5 kilometres of tunnels.

“I stood in hospital corridors at 3 am, speaking with patients in crisis. I never imagined I would one day stand in a parliament as a minister.”

“Our team will provide the genuine alternative that Victorians are crying out for.”

Thirty-five-year-old Ms Wilson, considered a rising star in the party, won the vote and will now lead the Liberals into the 2026 state election.