Lib factions set to unite to ‘blast’ Pesutto from leadership

A broad coalition of Liberal MPs are preparing to blast John Pesutto out of the state party’s leadership in the new year if he continues to refuse to step aside.

A broad coalition of Liberal MPs are preparing to blast John Pesutto out of the state party’s leadership in the new year if he continues to refuse to step aside.

On Saturday Mr Pesutto stood with deputy David Southwick to stare down ­potential challengers, declaring he would “fight on, on ­behalf of the Victorian people”.

But conservative and moderate MPs across factions spent the day thrashing out details of a new leadership pairing, with likely frontrunning candidates Brad Battin and Jess Wilson frantically marshalling numbers.

“We are going to have to blast him out now,’’ one Liberal MP told the Sunday Herald Sun after Mr Presutto’s press conference.

Mr Battin, a former policeman and suburban dad of two who is a 12-year parliamentary veteran, appears the most likely to secure a majority of party room votes.

Ms Wilson, who was first elected in 2022, has told colleagues she wants to be leader, but does not currently have support from a crucial bloc of moderates surrounding former leader, Matthew Guy.

Conservatives have promoted Richard Riordan as an alternative to Mr Battin, while MPs across factions talked down a leadership pairing of Ms ­Wilson and another relative newcomer, upper house MP Evan Mulholland, due to ­inexperience.

“The party can’t hand over the keys to the car to the kids still on their L-plates,” one said.

Victorian Liberal Party leader holding a media press conference. Picture: Ian Currie

If Mr Pesutto refuses to ­resign, as he did on Saturday, a spill of leadership positions is unlikely before the Christmas and New Year period, with a contest likely in mid-January.

This would leave the door open for weeks of instability and political opportunity for Labor, however.

Several MPs said that Mr Pesutto had privately conceded he had lost crucial internal support following his disastrous defamation defeat to ousted MP Moira Deeming, and may be buying time to give Ms Wilson time to build her ­numbers.

The readmission of Mrs Deeming to the partyroom is still a point of contention among potential Liberal leaders, given she sued the current leader of the parliamentary party. Some of Mrs Deeming’s supporters are tying support to candidates based on whether they would guarantee her ­return – which would ultimately be a matter for the partyroom to decide.

On Friday, the partyroom was split evenly on whether she should be returned from exile.

Federal MPs are urging a swift resolution to the saga, which was sparked 18 months ago when Mr Pesutto attacked Ms Deeming for attending an anti-trans event that was gatecrashed by neo-Nazis.

Mrs Deeming later argued Mr Pesutto had defamed her by suggesting she had associations with the gatecrashers, leading to a court victory and an order that Mr Pesutto pay her $315,000.

Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, who is setting his sights on several Victorian seats in his quest to topple ­Anthony Albanese as Prime Minister, has delegated federal MPs Michael Sukkar and Dan Tehan to represent the federal party’s interests during the leadership showdown.

John Pesutto insists he won’t resign. Picture: Wayne Taylor

Mr Pesutto on Saturday held a media conference after doorknocking in Prahran ahead of an upcoming by-election, and said he was “determined to fight on, on behalf of the Victorian people”, and pointed to his recent climb in state polls.

“The Victorian people know me now after two years as a fighter for them,” he said.

He denied he had been given an ultimatum to quit as leader by colleagues, saying the partyroom would be best to “move on” from the saga.

Mr Pesutto again repeatedly refused to openly admit he had defamed Mrs Deeming to the tune of $300,000 damages.

He instead said he was sorry “for the findings” of the court.

“I would say to the partyroom and to Mrs Deeming that I am sorry for the findings that have been reported on, but it’s important to move on,” Mr Pesutto said. He went on to say he would “explore” options for apologising personally to Mrs Deeming but had yet to do so.

On Saturday, Mrs Deeming said: “To treat me like I’m some vengeful witch that needs to be burned at the stake, is just incredibly offensive.

“He just seems to be focused entirely on keeping the leadership for the sake of keeping the leadership. Even when his relentless attacks on me keep damaging the brand.”

Mr Pesutto also hit out at what he said was inaction following a neo-Nazi demonstration on the steps of parliament on Friday night.

“Fire bombings of synagogues and Nazis on the steps of parliament are the new norm in Victoria,” he said.