Opposition Leader John Pesutto accuses media of campaign against him

Opposition Leader John Pesutto has accused the media of launching a campaign against him, arguing party members hadn’t raised concerns with him about his leadership.

Opposition Leader John Pesutto has accused the media of launching a campaign against him, saying not a single colleague or Liberal Party member has raised concerns with him about his leadership or multiple defamation cases.

In a fiery exchange with journalists on Monday, Mr Pesutto attacked the media and said his Opposition was held to a tougher standard than the government.

Despite ongoing speculation by MPs and rank and file members about whether or not Mr Pesutto would lead the party until the 2026 election, the embattled leader accused the media of fabricating stories about concerns about his leadership.

“We just want fair treatment in the media,” he said.

“There are standards applied to our side of politics that simply aren’t applied to the government.

Concerns are growing over the stability of John Pesutto’s leadership. Picture: David Crosling

“You would never run some of these stories against the government.”

The Herald Sun revealed on Friday talks about a potential challenge to Mr Pesutto’s leadership had escalated significantly, with opposing factions within the party room bracing for an imminent move.

No challengers ultimately came forward.

“What we saw in the last five days, the reporting, it was about nothing. I’m sorry, it was about nothing,” Mr Pesutto said.

He said members and MPs were more concerned with media coverage than his performance as leader.

“It’s about the coverage which doesn’t apply the same level of scrutiny to the government,” he said.

“The government is getting away with being the worst government.

“I’m just telling you how we feel. We feel like we are treated less favourably than the government.”

Mr Pesutto’s outburst comes in light of three defamation actions over his moves to expel Moira Deeming from his party.

Mrs Deeming’s action is already under way in the Federal Court, with British activist Kellie Jay Keen and Melbourne woman Angie Jones confirming on Monday they, too, would launch actions this week.

It came as Mr Pesutto publicly released a list of donors funding his case, revealing a consortium of three ex-premiers, five individuals and four companies who have contributed to a fighting fund.

British activist Kellie-Jay Keen. Picture: Jacquelin Magnay.

They include Jeff Kennett, Ted Baillieu and Denis Napthine, former media adviser Nick Johnston and companies including Delatite Pastoral Company and the Bau Agency.

The legal drama risks further destabilising Mr Pesutto’s leadership, with concerns it is distracting him from the job.

Ms Keen told 3AW on Monday: “You can’t say, really, quite despicable, disgusting lies about somebody in order to silence them and intimidate them”.

“I think he’s about to find out.”

“It must be right that in a free and democratic society that women can gather and speak without being dangerously defamed by men.”

Mr Pesutto has come under intense pressure from some sections of the party to reach a settlement with Mrs Deeming to kill the potentially damaging action.

But he said on Monday it wasn’t taking away from holding the government to account.

“I’m not focused on any litigation,” he said.

“If you can get sued out of a job, no one’s gonna stand for leadership.

“I’m focused entirely on my job as opposition leader.”

As his party room prepares to meet on Tuesday ahead of the last parliamentary sitting before the Easter break, Mr Pesutto said he was confident he would not face any leadership challenges despite ongoing speculation.

“Let me make my position very clear,” he said.

“I’m determined to lead the Liberal Party and the coalition to the next election in 2026.

“Our state needs real leadership.”

Moira Deeming launched legal action against Mr Pesutto last year. Picture: Simon Bullard

He urged his Liberal Party colleagues to focus their attention on holding the government to account rather than internal party politics.

“My message to my colleagues is that we have a responsibility on behalf of the Victorian public to hold this government to account,” he said.

Mr Pesutto moved to expel Mrs Deeming last March after she attended a Let Women Speak rally on the steps of Parliament House.

As part of his campaign to expel her, Mr Pesutto compiled and distributed a 15-page dossier of evidence backing his case.

In it, he accused her of having Nazi links and “conducting activities in a manner likely to bring discredit on the parliament or the Parliamentary Party.”

It resulted in a nine-month ban from the party room.

She was later expelled from the party.