Pesutto wins battle against rebel MPs – for now

Victorian Opposition Leader John Pesutto stared down rebels in the Liberal party room on Tuesday, but still faces renewed bouts of instability while a defamation trial against him rolls on.

Nobody sought to move a spill motion against him at the first meeting of all state Liberal MPs since the Federal Court case began last month.

Opposition Leader John Pesutto at the Victorian parliament on Tuesday. Credit: Joe Armao

Momentum to overthrow the leadership team began brewing this month, but fizzled last week. “Back to work,” Pesutto told reporters on his way in.

However, a handful of MPs remain disgruntled by Pesutto’s handling of the saga around ousted Liberal Moira Deeming, yet to be convinced he can unite the team after three weeks of evidence in the trial laid bare the divisions within the party.

Both Pesutto and his deputy David Southwick addressed the party room gathering on Tuesday, with the opposition leader acknowledging the difficulty the party had faced throughout the trial.

Five MPs in the room, speaking anonymously to discuss internal discussions, said Pesutto sought to draw a line in the sand by reminding his colleagues that the judgment would be handed down in less than eight weeks time.

None of the unhappy MPs raised concerns about Pesutto’s leadership during the meeting. On Tuesday, former treasurer Kim Wells, first-term MP Chris Crewther and conservative MP Beverley McArthur all ignored questions about whether they supported Pesutto.

Pesutto later told reporters he did not know what the fuss had been about ahead of the gathering, which was followed by a joint meeting with the Nationals.

“It was a good meeting, very productive meeting,” he said.

“Opposition is a long journey, and we are focused on the work ahead. There’s a real sense of purpose and mission that we are having an impact on the debate in this state.

“We need change in this state, and we need better leadership in this state.”

One MP said Pesutto’s speech in the meeting was “great” and “focused”. But another said it was “extremely boring”. “All quiet on the western front,” the MP said.

Pesutto and the leadership team contacted the entire party room ahead of the meeting to allow them to air their grievances.

Closing submissions in the case Deeming brought against Pesutto will be heard in the Federal Court next week. Justice David O’Callaghan is expected to hand down his judgment by early December.

Both could trigger another round of internal instability, particularly if Pesutto were to lose the case or if the leadership team gets a scolding in O’Callaghan’s findings.

Wells last week told The Age that he had fielded calls encouraging him to run for the leadership or deputy position in the event of a spill. On Tuesday, he told reporters that his colleagues were “very kind” to put his name forward.

Crewther said he wanted to talk about Labor’s policies and didn’t answer a follow-up question about whether he still wanted to be leader.

McArthur – who declined to endorse Pesutto on five occasions during an ABC Radio interview on Monday – kept walking on Tuesday morning when journalists asked if Pesutto had her support.

Opposition tourism spokesman Sam Groth told the waiting media that they were wasting their time.

MPs have also directed frustration at Southwick – who it emerged had secretly recorded his colleagues in a meeting – and upper house leader Georgie Crozier over a perception she was seeking retribution against colleagues for triggering instability.

Deeming alleges Pesutto defamed her as a Nazi sympathiser, which he rejects.

He moved to expel her from the parliamentary Liberal Party in the days after the Let Women Speak rally she helped organise on March 18, 2023. Neo-Nazis were among several groups of protesters that showed up.

Deeming was instead suspended from the party room in a last-minute compromise, but was ultimately expelled weeks later after threatening to bring in lawyers. She has denounced Nazism.

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