Deeming v Pesutto: Here’s what we now know about key state Liberals

After three gruelling weeks, cross-examinations in the defamation trial that ousted Liberal Moira Deeming brought against Opposition Leader John Pesutto have wrapped up.

Deeming, who was expelled from the Liberal party room, is suing Pesutto over allegations he wrongly linked her with neo-Nazis – which Pesutto denies – in a high-stakes battle that has triggered fresh leadership rumblings inside the Victorian Liberal Party.

John Pesutto and Moira Deeming at court on Friday.Credit: Darrian Traynor

The catalyst for the court battle was the Let Women Speak rally on the steps of the Victorian parliament, which Deeming helped organise on March 18, 2023. Neo-Nazis were among several groups of protesters that attended the rally.

Pesutto moved to expel Deeming after the rally, but she was instead suspended for nine months in a last-minute compromise. She was ultimately expelled weeks later after she threatened to bring in lawyers.

While the outcome of the case is not decided, one thing we do know is that it has caused long-lasting damage to the party. A conga line of MPs and party personalities provided frank evidence in court, lifting the curtain on the inner workings of the state opposition.

After the emergence of two covert recordings, dozens of private emails and text messages, and two colour-coded spreadsheets on how Liberals were expected to vote on Deeming’s expulsion, here’s what we learned about the key figures in evidence to the court.

Opposition Leader John Pesutto

• Said in his affidavit he was worried Deeming’s preselection would ruin his campaign in Hawthorn because of her “notorious” views.
• Sky News anchor and Liberal operative Peta Credlin was initially recruited by Pesutto to help set up his office.
• Was open to expelling Deeming from the party room as early as the night of the Let Women Speak rally after being contacted by colleagues.
• Drafted a statement about Deeming’s resignation from the party room hours before he met her for a “please explain” meeting.
• The court heard Pesutto discovered late last year that the meeting between party leaders and Deeming on March 19, 2023, was secretly recorded – but didn’t tell his legal team until last month.
• Sought out MPs to put their names on the second motion to expel Deeming in May 2023, which was successful.
• Admitted he shared aspects of his attempts to stop Deeming’s defamation threat with former premier Jeff Kennett in a bid to keep the confidence of his party room and senior Liberals.
• Also admitted he misspoke through some interviews and press conferences in the days after the rally.

Expelled Liberal Moira Deeming

• Secretly recorded a meeting with Pesutto and upper house leader Georgie Crozier in February 2023, after attracting controversy in the media. The recording showed Deeming had asked Pesutto for advice before giving her inaugural speech, but that he didn’t get back to her.
• Had been organising the Let Women Speak rally since January 2023, having fronted the cost for security and sound.
• A YouTube video celebrating the rally that night, and which was key to forming the leadership’s response, was UK activist Kellie-Jay Keen’s idea to satisfy deputy leader David Southwick’s request the women make an urgent and clear denunciation of the neo-Nazis.
• In the recorded March 19, 2023, meeting, she said the media wouldn’t cover her attendance at the rally because she had already threatened media with defamation.
• First hired lawyers on March 20, 2023, in response to the expulsion motion against her.
• Used Credlin as a “mentor” and sought media and political advice.
• Shared her concerns notice with media so that it was reported.
• Abandoned parts of her defamation suit against Pesutto on his first day of cross-examination.

Deputy leader David Southwick

Deputy Liberal leader David Southwick outside the Federal Court in Melbourne on Wednesday.Credit: Joe Armao

• Gave evidence for Pesutto.
• Called Deeming on the afternoon of the rally and said he had made a “very, very specific” request for an urgent and clear denunciation of the neo-Nazis.
• Secretly recorded the meeting between Deeming and leadership the following day and didn’t tell anyone, including Pesutto, for months.
• Told court he recorded it as an insurance policy because he could no longer trust Deeming, saying “she lied to me”.
• Was Pesutto’s representative in negotiations with Deeming, and said he was working in good faith on getting the exoneration she wanted until she threatened to bring in lawyers.

Upper house Liberal leader Georgie Crozier

Georgie Crozier arrives at court on Thursday.Credit: Joe Armao

• Gave evidence for Pesutto.
• Was on the administrative committee that blocked Deeming’s preselection for the federal seat of Gorton in 2022, which she said was because of then-prime minister Scott Morrison’s view she was “too risky”.
• Reprimanded Deeming in February 2023 for missing a party-room meeting on the day of her inaugural speech because she had a hairdresser’s appointment.

Former MP Matthew Bach

Former Liberal MP Matt Bach arrives at the Federal Court on Tuesday.Credit: Chris Hopkins

• Had to fly back from the UK – reluctantly – to give evidence for Pesutto.
• Texted Deeming “amazing and powerful speech” on the night of her inaugural speech – but told court he probably sent such a message to every first-term MP.
• Admitted politicians were not always “listening studiously” when “standing behind one’s leader nodding”.
• Told the court he had been warned by former premier Ted Baillieu that conversations were often “surreptitiously” recorded in the party.

Former treasurer turned backbencher Kim Wells

Kim Wells outside the Federal Court.Credit: Luis Enrique Ascui

• Gave evidence for Deeming.
• Told the court Pesutto called him on the night of March 19, 2023, and falsely told him Deeming organised neo-Nazis. Pesutto denies this.
• Wells, who acted as a mentor and representative for Deeming during negotiations, said he was “double-crossed” by the leadership because Deeming did not get the exoneration she was expecting.
• Accused the party leadership of trying to tamper with minutes from a March 27, 2023, party-room meeting.

Frontbench MP Richard Riordan

Shadow minister for emergency services and housing Richard Riordan outside the Federal Court last month.Credit: Jason South

• Gave evidence for Deeming.
• Claimed Southwick falsely told him that Deeming had organised the neo-Nazis and had been partying with them. Southwick refuted this.
• As revealed last year, he moved to delay the March expulsion motion against Deeming. In May, he claimed the second expulsion motion was invalid.

Backbench MP Renee Heath

Liberal MP Renee Heath arrives at the Federal Court lat month.Credit: Jason South

• Gave evidence for Deeming.
• Forwarded her draft minutes of a March 27, 2023, meeting to three MPs, including Deeming, using her private email.

Former MP Louise Staley

• Gave evidence for Pesutto.
• Said as a member of the administrative committee she did not support Deeming’s preselection because of negative press and the potential for brand damage to the party over Deeming’s views on COVID-19 vaccinations, ivermectin and abortion.
• Texted Pesutto on the night of March 19, 2023, to say Deeming was “at a rally with neo-Nazis” and that he should consider expelling her.

Former Liberal leader Matthew Guy

• Did not give evidence.
• In a text message to Pesutto on the night of the rally, he offered to move an expulsion motion against Deeming.

Frontbench MP James Newbury

• Did not give evidence.
• The court heard that, according to Deeming, Newbury risked blowing up the Coalition deal in January 2023 after speaking publicly against duck hunting.

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