Brad Battin denies John Pesutto on last legs as $2.3m payday deadline looms

Brad Battin says he is confident John Pesutto will remain in parliament as the $2.3m deadline to save the former opposition leader’s political career draws near.

Opposition Leader Brad Battin says he is confident John Pesutto will remain in parliament as his $2.3m deadline to save his political career nears.

As multiple potential corruption investigations threaten to further extend the protracted legal drama between Mr Pesutto and Moira Deeming, Mr Battin has said he remains optimistic about his predecessor’s political future.

Mr Pesutto is at risk of being declared bankrupt if he cannot find $2.3m to cover Mrs Deemings legal costs by June 27.

If he is declared bankrupt, he will be forced to resign from parliament, sparking a by-election in Hawthorn that the Liberals could lose to Labor or an independent.

Mr Pesutto is fighting to save his political career. Picture: David Crosling

As MPs kicked off their final sitting week before the five-week winter break, Mr Battin was asked whether this was Mr Pesutto’s final few days in the Victorian parliament outside the Liberals party room.

“No,” he told reporters.

Mr Pesutto, however, was not as definitive.

“I’m working as hard as I can and I’m hopeful we can come up with a result that resolves the matter,” he said.

It comes as the Victorian Liberal Party faces a potential second corruption investigation.

Mr Battin says he is confident Mr Pesutto will return to parliament. Picture: Asanka Ratnayake

Multi-millionaire NSW developer Hilton Grugeon, who bankrolled Mrs Deeming’s successful defamation suit against Mr Pesutto, has been reported to the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission over his efforts to prevent Mr Pesutto from seeking the party leadership for at least three years.

Mr Grugeon, who is attempting to recover the $2.3m he lent to Mrs Deeming, recently proposed he would accept $1.3m immediately and the remaining amount over the next three years from Mr Pesutto through a loan agreement if he did not try to return to the helm.

Mrs Deeming has also been referred to IBAC after she made a last-minute proposal to Mr Pesutto to resolve the $2.3 million debt which included a guarantee that she would be preselected.

Mr Pesutto on Tuesday refused to comment on Mrs Deeming’s letter, saying he wanted to let the proper process take its course.

Originally published as Brad Battin denies John Pesutto on last legs as $2.3m payday deadline looms