Napthine has re-energised Vic govt: Asher Deputy party leader Louise Asher says Denis Napthine (pic) has re-energised the Victorian Liberals. REPLACING Ted Baillieu with Denis Napthine as premier has re-energised the Victorian government, deputy Liberal leader Louise Asher says. Mr Baillieu quit as premier in March this year but still had a front row seat at the Liberal State Council meeting in Melbourne on Sunday. Ms Asher paid tribute to Mr Baillieu while praising Dr Napthine for breathing fresh life into the party. "He has re-energised the Liberal Party and the coalition," she said. Dr Napthine said Mr Baillieu had done an outstanding job leading the coalition into government in 2010. "Ted, I am proud that you are a friend and a colleague," he told the former premier. It's great to have you here Ted. Dr Napthine told the party faithful the government will support the people of Geelong and Broadmeadows after car maker Ford announced it will stop producing vehicles in Australia from 2016. "We will not let the communities of Broadmeadows and Geelong down," he said. Dr Napthine again urged the federal government to headquarter the national disability insurance scheme in Geelong, which would create an estimated 509 jobs. He also talked up the state government's plan to build the first phase of the East West Link road and repeated his call for the federal government to commit $1.5 billion to the project.