Former Victorian premiers fund Opposition Leader John Pesutto’s defamation battle against Moira Deeming

All living former Liberal premiers are privately funding opposition leader John Pesutto’s defamation battle, with one saying it was a “great disappointment” his party won’t back him.

Victoria’s three living former Liberal premiers are dipping into their own pockets to help fund opposition leader John Pesutto’s defamation defence.

The Saturday Herald Sun can reveal that Jeff Kennett, Ted Baillieu and Denis Napthine have stepped forward to privately back Mr Pesutto, who is being sued by expelled Liberal MP Moira Deeming.

In what senior Liberal figures say is a line in the sand moment, the three former premiers decided to unite after the party declined to fund their leader’s legal fight.

Opposition leader John Pesutto didn’t get the support of his own party to fund his legal fight. Picture: David Crosling

Sources estimate his defence could cost up to $1m, and other benefactors have been sought within the parliamentary team, among party elders, and from the business community.

Mr Kennett said he was one of several party members who had decided to contribute to the case, calling it a “great disappointment” that the party had chosen “not to support their leader”.

“I’m one of many who recognised he deserves support,” he said.

“There are a number of us, those who believe in team.”

Mr Baillieu said it was a united front from the three former Liberal premiers still alive.

“All three of us believe that John deserves to be supported,” he said.

“None of us hesitated”.

Independent Liberal MP Moira Deeming is suing the Mr Pesutto for defaming her. Picture: Arsineh Houspian.

Dr Napthine said he believed it was important for all former leaders of a political party to back the current leader.

“It’s fundamentally about supporting the leader and I support the leader,” he said.

“It’s incumbent upon all Liberals to support him.”

The united front is a shot in the arm for Mr Pesutto, who has faced ongoing leadership rumbles as well as the prospect of funding an expensive legal case out of his own pocket.

Multiple Liberal sources told the Herald Sun renewed efforts have been made to settle the case after its first court hearing earlier this month.

They say there is pressure on Mr Pesutto to bring the matter to a head, with fears the ongoing battle is a distraction from his leadership and on holding the government to account.

Any legal funding secured by Mr Pesutto would have to be declared through his register of parliamentary interests rather than Victorian Electoral Commission donation disclosure logs, because the money is for a personal matter rather than for an election campaign.

It is understood names would be declared but the amounts would not need to be shared.

Mr Kennett said the amount of his donation would not be disclosed because it was a “private commitment”.

“It won’t be disclosed,” he said.

“It’s a private commitment from those who believe in supporting the leader.”

But one senior Liberal said he would expect any donations made to Mr Pesutto would be made public.

Jeff Kennett said it was a “great disappointment” the Liberal Party wouldn’t support its leader. Picture: Aaron Francis

Former Premier Ted Baillieu. Picture: Alan Barber

“It’s a financial benefit bestowed on a member of parliament,” he said.

“If you want to give, fine, but expect it to be public because it should be made public.”

He said money being donated to Mr Pesutto’s case was “money not being given to the party for the Dunkley by-election”.

The Herald Sun understands former Liberal leaders Michael O’Brien and Matthew Guy have not made contributions to Mr Pesutto’s fund.

Lawyers for Mrs Deeming launched legal action against Mr Pesutto in December, alleging the Liberal leader had done “serious harm to Deeming’s reputation” when he moved to expel her from the parliamentary party in March.

The expulsion motion was brought following Ms Deeming’s attendance at a “Let Women Speak” rally that took aim at transgender laws.
The rally was attended by a group of masked men who did Nazi salutes, but Ms Deeming and protest organisers say they had no association with those men.

A fundraising website established to help support Ms Deeming with her own legal fees was launched in September.

The website warns supporters donations of more than $600 will be disclosed under Moira’s parliamentary register of gifts, but not the amount donated.

The defamation battle officially began in the Federal Court earlier this month, with Justice Michael Wheelahan pencilling in a single 10-day trial which will run from September 16.

A Victorian Electoral Commission spokeswoman said donations to fund a person’s private legal fees would not be considered political donations under the Electoral Act, and therefore do not need to be disclosed.