The news that the Victorian Liberal state executive has suspended the Scoresby branch for six months amid allegations of branch stacking is causing wry smiles among the party faithful.

Scoresby is the electorate of opposition police spokesman Kim Wells, dogged by allegations of poor performance and until recently facing a pre-selection challenge that threatened to undermine state Liberal leader Robert Doyle.

Wells will now be unopposed and Doyle is safe for now, but party president Helen Kroger declares that the branch is dysfunctional.

Victorian Liberal executive members should recognise a stack when they see one. After all, enough of them – or their pals – have been responsible for stacks in the past.