Opposition Leader’s Last-Ditch Move as Coup Looms
As tensions rise, the opposition leader makes a bold move to sway party votes amid looming challenges to his leadership
Victoria, John Pesutto, Moira Deeming, Liberal Party, Brad Battin
Victoria: So, John Pesutto, the opposition leader, just pulled a surprise move to try and save his position. He’s letting two MPs vote remotely in a crucial meeting on Friday. This is a big deal since it’s all about whether they’ll let Moira Deeming back into the party.
He sent out an email on Christmas Eve, saying he got the green light from the Shadow Attorney-General to allow this remote voting. It’s a last-minute effort to sway the party room, which is pretty divided right now.
Originally, this meeting was set for next month, but some “rebel” frontbenchers pushed to have it sooner. They’re looking to challenge Pesutto’s leadership, and it’s getting tense. There’s talk that Brad Battin might take over, but the party can’t seem to agree on who should be his deputy.
Things got even messier when the Federal Court ruled that Pesutto defamed Deeming during her expulsion. He had to cast the tiebreaking vote against her return last week, which didn’t sit well with many in the party.
Just two days after saying the party was moving on, he realized that a lot of members actually want Deeming back. So, he set another vote for January 15. He even apologized to her, trying to keep things together as they aim for the 2026 elections.
Meanwhile, some MPs are really pushing to get this meeting done before the year ends. It’s a wild time in the Liberal Party, and everyone’s watching to see how it all plays out.