Liberal leadership tussle as MPs decide party’s future

Victoria: The festive season isn’t looking too bright for John Pesutto, the leader of the Victorian Liberals. He’s caught in a three-way contest just to keep his job.

Things got tense with a party room vote coming up to decide if they should let back an expelled colleague. This could turn into a big test for Pesutto’s leadership.

Now, first-term MP Jess Wilson is stepping up, saying she’s ready to run for the leadership. She wants to give Victorians a real choice.

In her own words, if a spill motion passes, she’ll throw her hat in the ring. She’s all about holding Labor accountable for what she calls their “economic vandalism.”

Wilson was initially seen as a potential deputy to another challenger, Brad Battin, who’s looking to take over as the frontrunner. But it seems that plan has fallen through.

She mentioned that a united front was the best way to beat Labor, but now that’s off the table. After chatting with her colleagues, she decided to run to give them a choice.

Pesutto’s been on shaky ground since he lost a defamation case against former colleague Moira Deeming. The court found he defamed her by linking her to Nazis at a rally, and he’s now facing a hefty bill.

Things got worse when former tennis star Sam Groth quit his shadow cabinet role, unhappy with Pesutto’s refusal to step down after the court ruling.

Then, a party vote to decide on Deeming’s return split the team right down the middle, with Pesutto casting the tie-breaking vote to keep her out.

He thought he had resolved the issue, but his plan to bring her back in January didn’t go over well. Many senior Liberal MPs signed a petition to meet and sort things out.

With a crucial state election coming up in less than two years, the battle for leadership is heating up. The Labor government is looking for a rare fourth term, and the pressure is on.