New Setback for Ousted Liberal Leader John Pesutto in Victoria
John Pesutto has been excluded from the new shadow cabinet, marking another setback after his leadership loss and defamation battle
John Pesutto, Brad Battin, Victoria, Liberal Party, Moira Deeming
Melbourne: So, it looks like John Pesutto, the former Liberal leader in Victoria, has been left out of the new shadow cabinet. This comes right after he was rolled from leadership just after Christmas. Ouch!
Brad Battin, the new Opposition Leader, announced his cabinet and defended the decision to exclude Pesutto. It’s been a rough year for him, especially after losing that costly defamation case against Moira Deeming.
Pesutto was basically pushed out after that whole drama, and now he’s not in the new lineup. Battin did say he’s open to bringing Pesutto back into the fold later on, which is a bit of a silver lining.
During a chat on 3AW, Battin mentioned he had talked with Pesutto before the announcement. He reassured everyone that Pesutto is still a key part of the team and will likely return to a position when the time is right.
The new shadow cabinet features some fresh faces, like Sam Groth as the shadow special minister of state. Groth is also keeping his roles in sport and tourism, so he’s got a lot on his plate.
James Newbury is stepping in as the shadow treasurer, while Bridget Vallence, a close ally of Battin, is taking over the manager of opposition role. It’s all about loyalty in politics, right?
Vallence is also getting the finance portfolio, which was previously held by Jess Wilson, another Pesutto supporter. Wilson will still have a spot on the front bench, though, as Battin praised her skills on the radio.
As for Battin, he’s making crime a priority for his team. He’s already talking about introducing new laws to strengthen bail laws if they win the next election in November 2026.
And speaking of elections, Battin’s first real test will be two by-elections coming up on February 8. So, he’s got a lot to prove right out of the gate.
In case you missed it, Pesutto was found to have defamed Deeming in comments he made after kicking her out of the party. The court ruled that he caused serious harm to her reputation, which is a big deal.
Deeming, who was readmitted to the party after winning her case, said she had every right to be back in the party room. She’s not backing down and feels vindicated after the court’s decision.