Major Update in Victorian Opposition Scandal Unfolds
Victorian Liberal MPs have voted to readmit Moira Deeming after her controversial ousting, sparking leadership challenges within the party
Victoria, Australia, Moira Deeming, John Pesutto, Liberal Party
Melbourne: So, the Victorian Liberal Party is in a bit of a pickle. They just voted to let Moira Deeming back into the party after kicking her out in May. It’s been a real drama, to say the least.
On Friday, the state opposition MPs gathered to chat about her ousting. Some shadow cabinet members really pushed for this meeting. But here’s the kicker: three MPs are also looking to challenge the current opposition leader, John Pesutto.
Sam Groth and Brad Battin were spotted arriving at the meeting, and it’s clear there’s a lot of tension in the air. Pesutto is feeling the heat with these leadership challenges coming from at least three of his own party members.
The whole situation got even messier when Deeming sued Pesutto for defamation. She took him to court after he tried to kick her out for attending an anti-trans rally that got crashed by neo-Nazis last year. A judge ruled in her favor, saying Pesutto had defamed her multiple times.
He ended up having to pay her a whopping $315,000 in damages. Ouch! Last week, Pesutto said he was on board with bringing Deeming back after a tie vote. It’s a wild ride in Victorian politics, and it looks like there’s more to come.