John Pesutto is no leader, and hardly even a Liberal

I thought Friday was peak stupid for John Pesutto. But just two days later, the opposition leader has surpassed himself.

Let every Liberal learn from the walking disaster that is John Pesutto, who’s now decided to let Moira Deeming back into his party, just two days after foolishly voting against.

This is the modern “moderate” Liberal – no character, no conviction, no judgment, no guts.

Even today, the Victorian Opposition Leader still can’t see his leadership was cooked long before a judge this month ruled he’d defamed Deeming, one of his own MPs, by falsely accusing her of associating with Nazis.

Pesutto’s “evidence” was that Deeming was at a rally for women’s-only spaces last year when it was crashed by some neo-Nazi idiots.

John Pesutto is a ‘moderate’ Liberal with no character, no conviction, no judgment, no guts. Picture: Wayne Taylor

Oh, plus a Wikipedia entry which misquoted a source to claim another rally speaker had Nazi connections.

Of all the days since, I thought last Friday was peak stupid.

Pesutto’s MPs were evenly split in a vote to keep Deeming banned from the party room, leaving Pesutto to cast his deciding vote against her and then claim the “matter is resolved”, when he’d plainly just blown off his pants.

But just two days later, Pesutto has surpassed himself and announced the humiliating obvious – the matter isn’t resolved at all.

He now realises “a definite absolute majority” of his MPs actually want Deeming back, so he himself will vote for her return at a special party meeting on January 15.

Pesutto cast his deciding vote against Moira Deeming. Picture: Ian Currie

In fact, Pesutto should resign already.

The reason is plain. He’s no leader, and hardly even a Liberal.

A true Liberal leader would have known Deeming spoke for most Liberal voters by demanding women-only spaces be protected.

A true Liberal leader would have also defended her free speech.

And anyone with sense would not have vilified Deeming as a consorter with Nazis just because Nazi men gatecrashed her women’s rally.

But Pesutto’s shame goes deeper. He defamed Deeming because he was scared of Premier Daniel Andrews and had no confidence in debating him. He told Deeming after her rally: “I’m very concerned about where Andrews is going to take it.”

Some may argue Pesutto should stay leader because he’s finally got his Coalition ahead of Labor – for now – but that’s hardly due to him, given Premier Jacinta Allan is so clearly and dangerously incompetent.

Fixing Labor’s ruination of Victoria will take a new premier with strength and vision. Does this Deeming debacle suggest Pesutto is that person?

Originally published as John Pesutto is no leader, and hardly even a Liberal