Sue Chrysanthou takes to Victorian politics in John Pesutto-Moira Deeming defamation trial

Moira Deeming leaves the Melbourne Federal Court with her husband, Andrew Deeming, left, and barrister Sue Chrysanthou SC as her defamation battle continues against Victoria Liberal leader John Pesutto. Picture: NewsWire / Aaron Francis

Melburnians are familiar with giant boring machines, particularly the four that have been burrowing under the Victorian capital to build the Metro Tunnel.

Add Sue Chrysanthou SC into the mix in the Federal Court and we get the fifth giant boring machine in Melbourne’s CBD.

First, for much of Thursday, the Sydney silk made an otherwise interesting defamation case somewhat dull, bashing away at the Victorian Liberal leader with line and length questions that didn’t seem to be going anywhere.

It could even be said that John Pesutto was doing quite well.

During the worst of it, something like 1632 people had dialled in online to watch the proceedings.

Later in the afternoon, Chrysanthou flicked a switch and seemed to be boring a hole in Pesutto’s head, drilling into two media interviews he conducted after Moira Deeming’s so-called women’s rights rally last year was swamped by neo-Nazis.

Remember, this is a defamation case. And if the court rules that Pesutto has defamed the estranged MP, he will have to surrender the leadership.

Responding to talkback host Neil Mitchell in 2023, Pesutto said Deeming had been associating with people who were Nazi activists. “I know Moira’s not a Nazi but my point is that she’s associating with people who are, and that brings them into a place where it’s unacceptable for me as a leader and I believe unacceptable for the party,’’ he said at the time.

The problem is, on May 17 this year Pesutto apologised to the two Deeming offsiders at the 2023 rally.

He said in a statement: “I have never believed or intended to assert that Kellie-Jay Keen and Angela Jones are neo-Nazis. It is also now clear from public statements made by Ms Keen and Ms Jones that they share my belief that Nazism is odious and contemptible.’’

You don’t have to be on Team Deeming to wonder whether Pesutto has backed himself into a corner here.

In another interview in 2023, this time with the ABC’s Michael Rowland, Pesutto said: “And what I am doing (by ousting Deeming) is a statement that we will not tolerate or ever accept any association with neo-Nazis and white supremacists or anybody who sympathises with them.’’

It’s often been said that Deeming is no neo-Nazi. Let’s repeat that loud and clear. She isn’t.

But it’s her grievance over being forced out of the Liberal partyroom over the neo-Nazi issue that got Pesutto into court in the first case.

This was after a group of alleged neo-Nazis gatecrashed a rally headlined by Keen, who is a well known agitator in the women’s rights space.

The single issue of women’s rights, in the various forms they take, is most unlikely to get a premier or prime minister elected. But they sure can trip up a Liberal leader.

The court will decide whether Pesutto ever defamed Deeming.

Those two interviews may, or may not, help get Chrysanthou over the line.

Many factors will feed into the judgment but only one equation matters: Pesutto must win to keep his job.

After Thursday, the light at the end of the tunnel may have started dimming for the Liberal leader.