Instead, it was quite the opposite.

“None of us are arrogant enough to think we own a seat, you have to work for it,” Mr Tilley said yesterday.

“No party ever owns a seat.”

It follows reports that local Liberals are building a war chest to fund future election campaigns, on both a state and federal level.

The Border Mail reported on Saturday that Victorian Premier Denis Napthine would be the guest speaker at an inaugural business luncheon, from which funds would go toward Mr Tilley’s re-election campaign before the party refocused on winning back Indi.

That event was due to be held yesterday but was cancelled following the death of Dr Napthine’s mother, Theresa Napthine, on Monday night.

Mr Tilley said the event would be rescheduled.

He said fund-raising did not imply any sort of concern over his hold on Benambra.

“Candidates all have to fund-raise — campaigns aren’t cheap and we have to raise funds so we can get our message out to the community,” he said.

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“The community has to be confident in us.”

He disputed a comment from an anonymous Liberal source that the party’s defeat in Indi last year had “shaken the complacency” from members.

“I don’t think anybody has become complacent,” he said.

“We have a strong membership up here and I’ve been given the privilege to represent the electorate in the Victorian Parliament.”

Mr Tilley made the comments while taking Dr Napthine’s place at the official launch of clean energy machinery at Wodonga’s rendering plant.

He confirmed Dr Napthine had been in the region on Monday night ahead of yesterday’s event, but returned home to Melbourne upon being told of his mother’s passing.

“I know we all extend our condolences to the Premier, we all know how important family is,” he said.