Victorian Opposition Leader John Pesutto sparred with high-profile barrister Sue Chrysanthou, SC, about his political leadership in his first appearance as a witness in the trial of an expelled Liberal MP’s defamation claim against him.

Mr Pesutto is being sued by Moira Deeming for allegedly defaming her as a Nazi sympathiser after she helped organised an anti-trans rally on the steps of parliament that was gatecrashed by neo-Nazis in March last year. Mrs Deeming was eventually expelled from the party.