Stoneyford resident and former federal industrial relations minister Peter Reith has been hospitalised after suffering a stroke this week.
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The stroke has forced Mr Reith, a minister in the Howard government, to withdraw his bid to become president of the Victorian Liberal Party.
Media reports said Mr Reith was addressing a candidates’ forum in Melbourne on Tuesday night when his speech became slurred.
Sources close to him said he was hospitalised on Wednesday morning and was in a stable condition later in the afternoon. He was still in hospital on Thursday.
Media reports said Mr Reith’s withdrawal from the race for Liberal Party state presidency meant incumbent Micahel Kroger would be re-elected to the position unopposed.
Mr Reith has had a hobby beef farm at Stoneyford near Colac at least since 2011. He left politics in 2001 but had an unsuccessful tilt at the Liberal Party federal presidency in 2011.
