The Source: Opposition leader John Pesutto could be hit with second walkout at State Council

The Victorian Liberal Party will hold its State Council meeting on Sunday and John Pesutto could be hit with another walkout over his treatment of renegade MP Moira Deeming.

Pesutto is being sued for defamation by Moira Deeming

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

Before the state Liberal Party’s state council in May, federal opposition leader Peter Dutton weighed in on the party feud between state opposition leader John Pesutto and then soon-to-be expelled party MP Moira Deeming.

“The whole mess needs to be sorted out sooner rather than later,” he told ABC radio.

A couple of weeks later, at the Liberals’ state council in Bendigo, dozens of Deeming supporters pointedly left the room before Pesutto was due to speak.

Fast forward a few months.

Deeming still plans to sue Pesutto for defamation.

The party cannot decide whether to pay Pesutto’s legal costs.

Moira Deeming supporters booed Pesutto at the May State Council. Picture: David Crosling

A horror Andrews Government state budget has been passed and a Commonwealth Games cancelled. Tricksy new taxes, such as a levy on Airbnb accommodation, have sprouted faster than garden weeds in a Melbourne spring.

Have the Liberals landed punches against a rather whiffy ALP government?

Or is the party too busy to notice that its loudest fights — and most telling blows — appear to be exclusively aimed at pummelling its own party into irrelevance?

Perhaps the answer lies in the next Liberal state council, on Sunday.

The Source understands that some Liberals plan to walk out of the room before Pesutto is set to speak.

And so “the whole mess” continues.

Pies fans taunted in cheeky ‘Collingwood Choke’ classified ad

Is there a better way to embrace finals fever than to place a classified notice in the Herald Sun which asks whether Collingwood will succumb to the pressure of premiership favouritism?

“Happy 65th Collingwood!” reads the Wednesday notice, placed by KF, CS and NS, which alludes to the years since the Magpies have won on the last Saturday of September.

Hang on, you may ask, didn’t Collingwood win flags in 1990 (after 32 years and eight grand final losses) and 2010?

The classified ad asked readers to send feedback to [e-mail].

As explained by KF, CS and NS, the 1990 flag was “in October due to Collingwood choking in a qualifying final, drawing and causing a replay”.

In 2010, the premiership game was in October “due to Collingwood blowing a 4 goal half time lead, drawing and causing a replay”.

“Hoping you win the preliminary final this year so we can enjoy the tears of you choking in the grand final,” the notice reads.

Happily, all outraged (or grateful) responses can be sent to KF, CS and NS at [e-mail].

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