About eight of Pesutto’s parliamentary colleagues will be called to testify. And about half of them won’t be backing him

Opposition leader John Pesutto’s character, political judgment and leadership prowess will be on trial. It is pure folly to suggest he will come out of this unscathed.

The trials of Opposition Leader John Pesutto are now just one week away.

Note the plural.

The Liberal Party leader faces not just a formal Federal Court trial at which he must defend claims that he painted Moira Deeming as a sympathiser of white supremacists and neo-Nazis or, worse still, one herself, but also on trial will be his very character, political judgment and leadership prowess.

Indeed, the entire Victorian branch of the Liberal Party will also be in the dock.

John Pesutto must defend claims that he painted Moira Deeming as a sympathiser of white supremacists and neo-Nazis. Picture: Arsineh Houspian.

The legal case itself may have little bearing on the other two trials, which will be much more closely watched by Pesutto’s allies and enemies.

Which is precisely why almost no one within either the state or federal branches of the party wants it to proceed.

Jeff Kennett is on the record as saying the trial cannot come soon enough – he believes it will expose the party’s internal turncoats and clear the way to have them punted – but he is in the minority.

With an eye on a looming election, the federal party certainly does not want it to proceed. And after its best poll results in more than three years, few in the state team want it to go ahead either.

Those that do are from the classic Victorian Liberal Party mould that would rather see their internal opponent sink the ship than sail to victory.

John Pesutto’s trials will be closely watched by his allies and enemies. Picture: Facebook / Liberal Victoria

But even those jostling for a crack at the leadership should Pesutto find himself thrown out to sea would still prefer the case was settled before the trial, because they know a three-week trial will be a bloody, messy circus that risks reinforcing in the public consciousness that the Liberal Party cannot govern itself and is unfit for office. And that will be their mess to clean up.

There is a strong party view 542 days after this saga began that it should never have got this far.

That Deeming attended a Let Women Speak rally gatecrashed by neo-Nazis should have been dealt with in a more politically astute way – were it deemed to be a punishable offence.

That 24 hours after the rally Pesutto was putting into motion moves to expel Deeming from the party, without so much as consulting some of his most senior colleagues, has been inexcusable for some.

Twenty four hours after the rally Pesutto was putting into motion moves to expel Deeming from the party. Picture: Arsineh Houspian

That he has been comprehensively unable to contain the matter from that point, some say, is unforgivable.

This is what those who wanted him booted as leader will be watching most closely in the case. Callous as it may be, they do not care whether or not Deeming was defamed.

But they will be watching Pesutto. Is he honest, does he show shrewd political judgment, is he damaging the Liberal brand?

When he takes the stand to be cross-examined, Deeming’s lawyers will do everything in their power to bring Pesutto’s entire character into question. They will set out to destroy his credibility, and in doing so bolster their case. They will do the same of his deputy, David Southwick, leader of the opposition in the upper house Georgie Crozier, and anyone else in their sights.

It is part and parcel of any trial. And it is brutal.

Think back to any high-profile defamation case.

Bruce Lehrmann might have lost his defamation claim in spectacular fashion, but almost no one came out unscathed. Even Brittany Higgins, the ultimate victim in the whole sorry saga, was found to have told numerous “untruths” throughout the process.

Justice Michael Lee’s findings that she had “selectively curated material” and “sometimes told untruths when it suited her” would be fatal if applied in Pesutto’s case.

Brittany Higgins was found to have told numerous ‘untruths’. Picture: AFP

Rebel Wilson won her defamation case against Bauer Media, but was painted during a three-week trial as a serial liar who invented fantastical stories to make it in Hollywood.

She won the biggest defamation payout in Australian history – $4.5m – but ended up out of pocket after losing an appeal over the $3,917,472 in special damages awarded to her.

Pesutto supporters say it won’t be that bad, that the case will be a mere speed bump on the road to the 2026 election and government.

If only their focus, political ambition and policy direction matched the hubris.

It is pure folly to suggest Pesutto will come out of this unscathed. Separate to his character being put on trial, about eight of his parliamentary colleagues will be called to testify.

And about half of them won’t be backing him.

Anyone with a scintilla of legal nous understands that even if he wins, Pesutto could still very much lose.

Often no one really wins in defamation cases.

And while it will be no walk in the park for Deeming, she has nothing to lose. She’s been booted from her party, her family has suffered, her future preselection is unlikely, and there’s a time bomb ticking over her political career.

On the other hand, Pesutto, who is leading in the polls and looks a real shot at becoming the next premier, could lose it all.