John Pesutto brushes off leadership chatter following office exodus

Despite considerable dissatisfaction with Mr Pesutto’s leadership from a significant proportion of his partyroom, the Opposition Leader is unlikely to face any imminent challenge. 

Victorian Liberal leader John Pesutto on Monday. Picture: Ian Currie

Victorian Liberal leader John Pesutto has denied the resignations on Sunday of his chief of staff and communications director constitute “rats leaving a sinking ship”, vowing to remain focused on taking the fight up to Labor as he enters a parliamentary sitting week amid leadership speculation.

Despite considerable dissatisfaction with Mr Pesutto’s leadership from a significant proportion of his partyroom, the Opposition Leader is unlikely to face any imminent challenge, with no potential candidate putting themselves forward.

The Australian contacted the majority of state Liberal MPs on Monday afternoon, finding that partyroom disunity appears to be Mr Pesutto’s saving grace, with some potential challengers seen as unlikely to garner sufficient support across factional groupings to gain the numbers, and others more likely to bide their time.

It comes as the Opposition Leader prepares to face expelled Liberal Moira Deeming in her defamation case against him in the Federal Court in September.

Facing the media for the first time since he announced the resignations of Rodrigo Pintos Lopez and Nick Johnston on Sunday, Mr Pesutto declared he had the support of his team.

Victorian Liberal leader John Pesutto and Liberal MP Evan Mulholland arrive at state parliament for a press conference on Monday. Picture: Ian Currie

“You know that I’m a fighter, I’m not going to be pushed around like this,” he said. “I’m ­focused on giving the Victorian people the good government they deserve, and in the meantime we’ll be a strong and effective ­opposition. These things happen in politics, and you’ve just got to keep your eyes focused.”

He described Mr Pintos Lopez and Mr Johnston as “two people I greatly admire” and “great friends of mine”, framing their departures as being motivated by a ­desire to return to the private sector, albeit just 12 months after they had commenced their roles in his office.

“People come and go in political roles,” Mr Pesutto said.

He denied claims from ­Nationals and Liberals that he had been given an ultimatum from MPs unhappy with his ­office.

Asked whether the departures were a case of “rats leaving a sinking ship”, Mr Pesutto said: “No.”

Asked whether either man had indicated that they had lost faith in his ability to win government in 2026, Mr Pesutto said: “Not at all. They’re made decisions about their future, and I’m not going to go into private discussions, but they know how warmly I regard them.”

Victorian State Liberal leader John Pesutto leaves the party’s Spring Street headquarters on Monday afternoon following a shadow cabinet meeting. Picture: Ian Currie

First-term MP Sam Groth, ­opposition crime spokesman Brad Battin, and Treasury spokesman Brad Rowswell are most frequently touted by colleagues as potential leadership challengers, but none appears to be seriously canvassing support from colleagues.

“No one’s ringing around doing serious numbers to my knowledge. (There are) a few who would love to have a crack but don’t have the numbers,” said one MP.

“John’s certainly under pressure, I’m not trying to mask that, but whether there’s a serious challenge on, I’m not seeing it.”

Others maintained a challenge was imminent, with one saying the lack of a “perfect” ­replacement wouldn’t save Mr Pesutto.

“I think that even if they weren’t perfect, everyone just knows that we’ve got to move from where we are now,” the MP said.

A significant number of frontbenchers expressed deep frustration at their colleagues’ preoccupation with internal matters, saying they should be ­focused on holding the government to account.

“I’m really angry. This state is in real trouble, and we’re talking about a personality spat. I’m over the self-indulgence of some,” an MP said.

“I just hope people get back to what we are supposed to be doing, and that is holding this government to account.”