The Source: Deeming debacle going from bad to worse for John Pesutto

John Pesutto’s time as Opposition Leader has lurched from one disaster to the next, but he this latest revelation may be a new low.

Moira Deeming and John Pesutto in happier times. Picture: Facebook

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

As if learning you’d been hung out to dry by your own party wasn’t bad enough for Opposition Leader John Pesutto.

First there was the revelation he’ll be forced to self fund a potential $1 million legal defence for defamation action by MP in exile Moira Deeming.

Now, well placed sources say in a popularity contest against Deeming with rank and file members, Pesutto would come off second best.

This despite the well-formed view that Deeming faces a very serious uphill battle when it comes to being preselected ahead of the next election.

“She just doesn’t have the numbers,” one source said.

“Moira, of course, would know she lacks the delegate numbers.”

While she might not have delegates onside, among the rank and file, the view is Mrs Deeming is popular.

Talk about rubbing salt into wounds.

The party won’t back him, and he’s less popular with Liberal supporters than the woman he booted from the party, who could struggle to be preselected for a second term.

Ouch.

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Lord Mayor Sally Capp set to hang up robes

Is time up for Lord Mayor Sally Capp?

Whispers around town are that the city’s very directly elected female Lord Mayor is set to hang up the robes.

Well placed sources say Capp, who was long touted as a potential Governor, has been making no secret of the fact she doesn’t intend to run for re-election.

She was first elected in 2018, and then re-elected in 2020 at the height of Covid.

What comes next is anyone’s guess but is widely tipped to involve corporate Melbourne.

Capp has previously held senior roles at both KPMG and ANZ, is a solicitor, and was the first woman to hold the post of Agent-General for Victoria in the UK.

It seems certain Sally Capp won’t run for a third term. Picture: Getty

Nightclub king Greece’s wheels after lavish French affair

From chook charmer Tamie Ingham to old rooster Peter Raff, Melbourne’s lucky cluckers are peacocking their way across Europe.

After a who’s who gathered in Paris for the lavish wedding of celebrity chef Guillaume Brahimi to chicken heiress Tamie Ingham, the party has moved to the Greek Islands, where former nightclub king and Stereosonic co-founder Peter Raff is celebrating his 60th birthday with 150 people including media gazillionaire Antony Catalano.

Raff’s latest posts from Ithaca involve a yacht, hilltop vistas, oversized vegetables and floating blissfully in the Ionian Sea.

The birthday celebrations, titled “Raffy’s 60th – All Roads Lead To Poli Beach,” start on Thursday night.

“Welcome drinks at Myrtia, Ithaca’s best restaurant and bar, run by my second cousin,” Raff confided to The Source.

London-based Australian DJ and producer Kaz James will helm the tunes for Raff’s party.

Elsewhere, Melbourne socialite Sarah Lew and her second husband, hospitality king Chris Lucas, are celebrating their nuptials in Venice, Italy, this weekend.

It’s rumoured Sarah, former daughter-in-law of rich lister Solomon Lew, has enough luggage to sink a gondola. She plans to flaunt four different outfits for the destination party.

Tay Tay trauma is real and it’s about to hit hard

A leading child and adolescent psychologist says parents should prepare their kids for Swiftie Sadness as the stampede for Tay-Tay tickets kicks into overdrive.

Experts say thousands of Swifties will be left heartbroken and empty-handed due to cold hard economics — demand for tickets to Taylor Swift’s five Australian shows in February far outweighs supply.

“Taylor Swift fans are known for their dedication and passion for the artist, and missing out on concert tickets can be a significant disappointment,” Melbourne psychologist Dr Michael Carr-Gregg said.

He urged parents to “validate their (children’s) feelings” if they miss out.

“Let them know that it’s okay to feel upset, angry, or disappointed. Encourage them to express their emotions and listen to them without judgment,” Dr Carr-Gregg said.

“Encourage them to talk about it: Let them know that they can talk to their parents about their disappointment.”

Plenty of Taylor Swift fans are going to miss out on tickets to her Australian shows.

Swift’s Australian tour promoter, Frontier, expects an “unprecedented” level of demand when presale tickets are unlocked for members on Wednesday.

Frontier Touring chief executive Dion Brant said: “We’re asking fans to stay calm and be kind to each other. Be prepared, read our presale tips and whatever you do — don’t refresh your browser.”

But a Melbourne academic and pop culture expert says the rules of capitalism, and supply versus demand, means many Swifties will be left disappointed by ticket scarcity.

“This is what happens in a free market,” Dr ​Lauren Rosewarne, an associate professor at the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Melbourne, said.

“There is always going to be a level of disappointment because the want for tickets outweighs the supply. That’s just a fact.

“Life is full of disappointment,” Dr Rosewarne added, “but there are many ways to experience our love of an artist beyond attending a concert.”

She said parents should not feel pressured into buying tickets to keep their kids, or peer groups, happy. “The reality is, this is not the only time in a child’s life where a parent is going to have to say no to them,” Dr Rosewarne said.

“For some families this isn’t a huge expense; for others, it would cripple them. That, unfortunately, is socio-economic reality.

“It’s not fair, but nothing is fair when it comes to capitalism.”