Baillieu immediately joined the Liberal frontbench, serving as Shadow Minister for Tertiary Education and Training (1999–2001), Gaming (July 2000 – August 2002) and Planning (September 2001 – May 2006).

[6] Throughout the campaign, media stories about Baillieu's extensive blue chip share portfolio, at the time estimated to be worth almost $4 million, raised questions about conflicts of interest.

[7] Baillieu's handling of the issue and his refusal to place his investments in a blind trust were both thought to have hurt the Liberal Party during the campaign.

In a speech at the State Council of the Victorian Liberal Party, Ballieu opposed the push by John Howard for nuclear reactors in Victoria.

The media suspected that forces loyal to former Federal Treasurer Peter Costello and former State Party President Michael Kroger, themselves from Melbourne, had attempted to undermine Baillieu.

[10] In February 2008, at a joint news conference it was announced that the Victorian Nationals and Liberals would join in a new Coalition agreement forged between Baillieu and Peter Ryan.

Until election eve, polling indicated Labor would win a record fourth term in government, albeit by a tight margin.

Two days after the election, on 29 November, the Premier of Victoria, John Brumby, conceded defeat after it became clear that his government had lost its majority to the opposition.

After two years in office, Baillieu was criticised by business and community leaders for acting too slowly and failing to present a credible policy agenda.

Because of the unprecedented scale of the delegation it was dubbed the "Super Trade Mission" and was attended by more than 400 Victorian business and 3 of Baillieu's key Ministers as his government launched a $50 million funding initiative to boost Victoria's international engagement efforts.

[citation needed] On 4 March 2013, the Herald Sun released secret recordings which revealed Baillieu's chief of staff, Tony Nutt, had offered to help former Ryan police adviser Tristan Weston find a new job.

Weston had been fired after an OPI report found he had undermined Victoria Police chief Simon Overland.

More tapes were released the next day, in which deputy police chief Sir Ken Jones expressed concerns about Overland and promised to discuss them with Ryan.

In 2014, Baillieu made off-the-record comments "critical of parliamentary colleagues" including Murray Thompson and Michael Gidley[18][19] to Sunday Age state political editor Farrah Tomazin.

However, The Age's investigation of the incident led to ALP sources admitting senior figures in Andrews' team had listened to and made copies of the recording, before it was later emailed to hundreds of Liberal members and MPs.

He also acted as an Honorary Ambassador for the Victorian Government's 80 Days of Melbourne initiative during which Victoria hosted an unprecedented number of internationally recognised sporting, arts, cultural and trade events between 9 January and 29 March 2015.

[28] In 2017 Baillieu joined the Committee of the Melbourne Cricket Club,[29] The Australian Institute of Architects Foundation Board,[30] and was appointed adjunct professor at Swinburne University.

Kennett along with two former Liberals Premiers gave donations to John Pesutto's defence after Deeming issue a legal notice to him.