Vic govt loss blamed on distractions November 29, 2014 - 10:40PM Distractions prevented the coalition from capitalising on Victoria's strong economy, Nationals leader Peter Ryan says. The Napthine government has been booted from office after only one term, the first Victorian government to do so since 1955. "We could not get the clear air to be able to sell our message," Mr Ryan, who is also deputy Premier, told ABC Television late on Saturday. It made it difficult at every turn to be able to get out of the blocks and that prevailed over a period of many, many months. When you think of it, to have the only AAA-rated economy in the Australian nation is an outstanding achievement and yet we could never make the most of it. The coalition changed premiers - from Ted Baillieu to Denis Napthine - mid-term and Liberal-turned-independent Geoff Shaw posed as long-running irritant to the government. "The other thing that happened to us was in the areas of service delivery, our (Labor) opponents were able to use very well ... the union movement being behind them, with the paramedics, with the firefighters, with the teachers, with the nurses," Mr Ryan said. They were able to use that resource very well and it's one we could not contest in terms of the sheer numbers. Mr Ryan also said he wanted to stay on as leader of the Nationals from opposition. Sitting here right now, I do. We will see though, over the course of these coming days, weeks and months. The Nationals could lose up to three of their 10 seats.