The Source: Saying thanks or wanting more? Pesutto lunches with defamation defence donor

Try as he might, John Pesutto cannot escape Moira Deeming’s defamation case against him. Which is why Liberal tongues were wagging when he was spotted lunching at Flower Drum.

John Pesutto has been spotted dining with Malaysian-born property developer Jason Yeap, who helped bankroll his defamation defence.

Putting the squeeze on Victoria’s movers, shakers and headline makers.

Paying his dues, or asking for more?

That was the question on The Source’s mind after former opposition leader John Pesutto was spotted enjoying a high-priced meal at fine dining institution Flower Drum on Tuesday.

Pesutto was spied lunching with Malaysian-born property developer, lawyer and philanthropist Jason Yeap, who helped bankroll the Liberal MP’s defamation defence in the now infamous case brought by colleague Moira Deeming.

So, now that the case is settled and the party’s $1.5m loan – the validity of which is to be tested in the Supreme Court – has fended off bankruptcy proceedings, was Pesutto saying thank you or asking for more help?

The Source put calls into Pesutto who said only that Yeap had picked up the bill.

But assurances that the lavish banquet lunch, understood to have been washed down with a bottle of red, didn’t cost JP a cent wasn’t enough to quell one party member’s anger.

“If he’s not picking up the tab then he’s using other people’s money, again,” he said.

“He just cannot read the room.

“I need the Liberal Party to get their shit together.”

‘Sack the government’: Inside the push to remove Dan Andrews

As anger grew about Melbourne’s world-record lockdown, so too did public calls for Victoria’s royal representative to intervene and sack Daniel Andrews.

Now, for the first time, former governor Linda Dessau has confirmed she was inundated with correspondence begging her to sack the government.

Speaking on the Neil Mitchell Asks Why podcast, Dessau said while the calls might have been loud, she was powerless to act.

“We received so much correspondence at Government House and petitions saying that the governor should sack the government,” she said.

“And of course, that’s not something that the governor can do.

“And I have to say, quite proudly, the Office of the Governor answered every letter, taking it as an opportunity first of all to understand respectfully that people were just genuinely upset.

“But also taking it as an opportunity just to explain the very basics of the role of the governor, and that fortunately, you can’t have an unelected official just deciding to sack the elected officials.”

Former governor Linda Dessau was inundated with correspondence begging her to sack the government. Picture: David Caird

One petition to sack Andrews attracted more than 2000 signatures.

“Daniel Andrews has dismissed parliament and plunged the state into economic disrepair under the guise of public protection from a global pandemic,” it said.

And while Dessau said she understood community anger toward our elected officials, she offered what she said was a simpler solution than sacking them – pay them more!

“I don’t think we pay enough to attract people out of industry and professions where they can have a much easier life at a much better rate of pay,” she said.

“So that’s one thing, and otherwise, I think as a community we have a responsibility to know more about politics and to elect better people into politics if we’re concerned that we’re not getting the best people.”

Victorian MPs were last month given a generous three per cent pay rise. Picture: NewsWire/Ian Currie

Victorian MPs were last month given a generous 3 per cent pay rise, taking their base wage from $205,798 to $211,972 before factoring in generous allowances.

As for the premier, Jacinta Allan’s pay now tops half a million dollars for the first time, cementing her place as the nation’s highest-paid state leader.

The Premier’s total annual package is now worth $512,972, including an expenses allowance totalling $65,000.

It marks at least a bump of $70,000 since Andrews was in charge before the pandemic. Not bad work, if you can get it, especially considering you can’t be sacked.

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