Deeming ‘shell shocked’ after vote readmitting her to Victorian Liberal Party room

A Victorian Liberal MP says she is “shell shocked” after a major development in a long-running scandal plaguing the state’s opposition party.

Moira Deeming says she is “shell shocked” after Victorian Liberal MPs readmitted her to the party room and ousted opposition leader John Pesutto.

Ms Deeming earlier this month successfully sued Mr Pesutto for defamation over comments he made while trying to expel her from the Liberal Party after she attended an anti-trans rally gatecrashed by neo-Nazis last year.

She said it was appropriate there was no applause when she readmitted “because this, this has all just been completely unnecessary and tragic for everybody involved”.

“I think they were probably wondering how I’m going to react to them,” she said of her Liberal colleagues.

“And to be honest, it has been a bit difficult. But a few people shook my hands.

“I have to actually give credit to John Pesutto. He did shake my hand and say sorry to me personally today.

“So thank you, Mr Pesutto, for that. That meant a lot.”

Moira Deeming says she is ‘shell shocked’ after Victorian Liberal MPs voted to readmit her to the party room. Picture: NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

The party room voted to readmit Ms Deeming right before overthrowing Mr Pesutto.

Earlier this month, a judge found Mr Pesutto defamed Ms Deeming several times in interviews that have “caused” or were “likely to cause serious harm to her reputation”.

He was ordered to cough up a hefty $315,000 in damages.

Last week, Mr Pesutto said he backed bringing Ms Deeming back into the fold after a drawn vote.

Ms Deeming’s ousting in May revealed a massive wedge in Victoria’s long-divided Liberal Party.

Battin in, Pesutto out

Mr Pesutto also lost his role as leader of the opposition on Friday after he was ousted by Brad Battin in a leadership spill.

The leadership challenge came as the Victorian Liberal Party room met on Friday under the guise of debating Ms Deeming’s exile.

Speaking to reporters as he emerged victorious from the party room meeting, Mr Battin thanked the man he booted out.

Victorian opposition police spokesman Brad Battin (right) has ousted John Pesutto as the Garden State’s Liberal Party leader. Picture: NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

“I want to thank John Pesutto for what he has done for our party and in service with a Liberal Party, a true believer of our values and a man of his word,” Mr Batting told reporters.

“We have an obligation to move forward.

“I’m thankful for the support of my colleagues in the party room today to ensure we can come out united and getting on message for the message we need to have.”

Sam Groth will serve as Mr Battin’s deputy.

Mr Battin was the police spokesman in Mr Pesutto’s shadow cabinet.

He lost the leadership by one point when Mr Pesutto was elected leader in December 2022.

Justice and corrections spokesman Chris Crewther and finance spokeswoman Jess Wilson also threw their hats in the ring for the leadership on Friday.

John Pesutto (right) has been ousted as Victorian Liberal leader. Picture: NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

‘Victorians are hurting’

In his remarks after his win, Mr Battin called on his party to return their attention to the issues facing the Garden State in a bid to draw a line under the Liberal infighting.

“We know Victorians are hurting, the cost-of-living crisis impacting each and every family across the state,” he said.

“We have seen too often in the media the crime crisis is out of control and we need to make sure we have policies fixing that and ensuring people are safe in their homes, communities and businesses.

“We know the budget is out of control. We need a program we can reduce the budget burden in Victoria as well as reduced taxes to invite investment in our state.

“And we know our roads are crumbling and when your roads crumble across regional Victoria, you are stopping important and vital assets, including food, getting from one end to the other of this state.”

Despite the Liberal Party’s troubles, Mr Pesutto was polling better than Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan in weeks leading up to his ousting.