Would-be Premier Faces More Battles After Party Split
John Pesutto’s leadership is at risk after a split vote on Moira Deeming’s return reveals deep divisions within the Victorian Liberals
John Pesutto, Moira Deeming, Victorian Liberals, Melbourne, Australia
Melbourne: So, it looks like John Pesutto’s leadership of the Victorian Liberals is really on shaky ground. A recent vote about Moira Deeming has shown just how divided the party is.
They were split right down the middle, with 14 MPs wanting to welcome her back. This all came after the Federal Court found Pesutto had defamed her, and now he’s on the hook for over $300,000 in damages.
Deeming got kicked out of the party after a rally she attended got crashed by some neo-Nazis back in March. The vote to bring her back didn’t pass because they needed 16 votes, and two MPs were missing.
Pesutto, who had to use his casting vote to break the tie, said he wasn’t shocked by how close it was. He claimed it wasn’t a “slap in the face” to his leadership, but it sure feels like it.
Deeming, who’s still a Liberal member but sits as an independent now, hinted that this isn’t over. She’s determined to get the apology she believes she deserves and thinks she’ll be back in the party soon.
After the meeting, her supporters were pretty vocal, saying the tied vote shows just how split the party is and that it’ll be tough to unite moving forward.
Then, late Friday, there were reports that Pesutto was given 24 hours to resign or face a leadership challenge. That would mean another petition and a special meeting, which sounds pretty intense.
One of his supporters admitted that this issue isn’t going away and wasn’t sure if Pesutto could hold on to his position. They called the result “shocking” and mentioned a huge divide in the party.
Another MP, who voted against the motion, said it’s hard to tell if this will be the end for Pesutto. It all depends on whether the dissenters are willing to go all out for their own gain.
This whole mess started because Pesutto made some comments that implied Deeming was linked to Nazis after that rally. She was initially suspended for nine months before being expelled after threatening to sue him.
Despite all this drama, Pesutto isn’t stepping down, which led to former tennis player Sam Groth quitting his shadow cabinet position. The Liberals are also gearing up for state by-elections in Prahran and Werribee in early 2025.