Jeff Kennett urges John Pesutto and Moira Deeming to resolve their dispute for the good of the Liberal Party
The former Victorian premier’s view on the party paying John Pesutto’s legal bill is at odds with those of other senior Liberals, who warn there will be uproar from members.
Jeff Kennett has backed the Victorian Liberal Party paying Opposition Leader John Pesutto’s legal fees if defamation actions being pursued by expelled MP Moira Deeming and British activist Kellie-Jay Keen make it to the Federal Court.
The former premier’s view is at odds with those of other senior Liberals, who say there is “no way” grassroots members will allow potentially millions of dollars of money set aside for campaigning to be spent defending cases they say Mr Pesutto has brought upon himself.
The issue came to a head in parliament on Wednesday after Mr Pesutto initially agreed to hold an informal briefing requested by backbencher Chris Crewther for MPs who were concerned about the issue, before postponing the meeting to Friday and making it an official partyroom meeting.
The meeting will now take place after a meeting on Thursday evening of the Liberal Party’s administrative committee.
Mr Kennett said both Mr Pesutto and Mrs Deeming had been elected as Liberals to work as a team and hold the government to account. “I desperately want them to quickly resolve their issues and understand the community and the team they were part of are much more important than the individuals,” he said.
“If, sadly, the issue does go to court, then of course the Liberal organisation should be financially supporting their parliamentary leader.
“It is absolutely unconscionable that they would not do so, in the same way that any government minister who is called into account has their fees paid by the government of the day.
“I have not met Mrs Deeming. I obviously know Mr Pesutto … The last thing Victorians want to see is members of the opposition doing anything else but working together as a team.”
One Liberal MP said Wednesday’s request for a briefing had followed a meeting on Tuesday of Mr Pesutto, his deputy, David Southwick, and upper house leaders Georgie Crozier and Matt Bach, Liberal Party state director Stuart Smith and outgoing president Greg Mirabella.
“I’m told that Pesutto insisted the four leaders get indemnity (for his legal costs) from the Liberal Party. The Liberal Party base will be incredibly angry,” the MP said.
“There was not enough money in the 2022 election, and there’d be a situation that if between $1m and $2m is spent on legal fees, then that’s going to weaken our chances even further of winning the 2026 election.”
Another senior Liberal said Mr Pesutto had been strongly advised not to come and ask for party funding “because the answer will be no”.
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