Victorian Liberals must now hold reckless Labor to account for blowing budget

Liberal member for Hawthorn John Pesutto MP. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

There was one Victorian more relieved than John Pesutto on Thursday night — Brad Battin.

In the wake of the administrative committee endorsing a $1.55m rescue deal for the former opposition leader, the current opposition leader can now focus on his day job.

That, of course, is not waging civil war in the shameful tradition of the Victorian Liberal Party. It’s actually to unite the party and build a credible alternative government Victorians might vote for at the November 2026 election.

For the sake of Victoria, the line in the sand drawn under the Pesutto-Deeming saga by Thursday night’s lifeline needs to hold rather than be a temporary cease fire between the opposing factions within — and outside — the parliamentary party.

The Federal Court found that Pesutto defamed Moira Deeming. There is no disputing that. And she deserved to be paid her costs as determined by the court.

But for those who have exploited this dispute as part of a broader culture war to try and reshape and drag the Liberal Party to the right on social issues, now is the time to lay down their guns. Culture wars may generate hot air but they do not win elections in Victoria.

Victorian Liberal leader Brad Battin is seen during a press conference. Picture: NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui

Battin and his team need clear air to focus on the bungling, reckless and financially destructive Labor government of Jacinta Allan. Battin needs to focus on the blown budget, the crippling state debt and bread and butter services. Come up with a plan to fix the crime crisis and fill the potholes.

How will Victorians ever know where their money has gone unless there is a change of government next year and a truly independent audit of the state’s books is called?

But Battin and his team can’t just sit back and wait for Labor to hand it government. The Victorian ALP remains the most formidable campaigning operation in the country and it’s important to remember that for the entirety of this century, Labor has been in power for 21 years. Victorians are both comfortable with Labor state governments and wary of a Liberal Party that has failed to earn their trust for decades.

Thursday night has given Brad Battin and the Liberals a chance.

Now they must be disciplined enough and work hard enough to convince enough Victorians they deserve a shot at governing.