The Victorian Liberal Party is embroiled in turmoil as opposition leader John Pesutto faces mounting pressure. The Liberal crisis deepens as Pesutto reverses course on Moira Deeming’s readmission, evident both from within his ranks and from the legal fallout of his defamation case with exiled MP Moira Deeming. Despite declaring last week that the issue surrounding Deeming’s return to the Parliamentary Liberal Party (PLP) was settled. Both MSN and Skynews reports indicate Pesutto has backflipped and called a special meeting for 15 January 2025 to discuss her potential reintegration into the party.
In a statement on Sunday afternoon, Pesutto explained, “It has become clear that there is now a definite and absolute majority of my colleagues who want this issue resolved with her readmission so that we can collectively put this behind us and concentrate on the Prahran and Werribee by-elections.” He added an apology to Deeming, stating, “I again apologise to Mrs Deeming as we all work together to ensure the Liberal Party succeeds in winning government in November 2026.”
This move is the latest chapter in a saga that has dragged on for several months. Deeming, who was initially suspended and later expelled from the parliamentary party in May following a series of controversies, recently won a defamation case against Pesutto. She successfully argued that the opposition leader had falsely branded her a Nazi sympathiser after an anti-trans-rights rally last year was disrupted by neo-Nazi groups. The Federal Court judge ruled that Pesutto’s statements “caused or are likely to cause serious harm to her reputation,” ordering him to pay £315,000 in damages, with additional legal costs.
Despite the court ruling, Pesutto has shown little sign of backing down, maintaining his position as leader. However, his defiance has led to significant unrest within the Liberal Party, with several MPs now openly discussing the possibility of forcing him out. “We are going to have to blast him out now,” one MP told the Sunday Herald Sun, while others claim that pressure on Pesutto to resign has been intensifying.
Internal discontent has focused on Pesutto’s handling of Deeming’s readmission. After a recent parliamentary vote on whether to reinstate her, which ended in a tie, Pesutto initially dismissed the outcome, calling it “a bookend” to the matter. However, the backlash from party members, combined with Deeming’s defamation victory, has forced him to reconsider. His decision to convene a party meeting to vote on Deeming’s return is seen as an attempt to quell the discord within the party and regain some control over the narrative.
Deeming, for her part, has confirmed that she found out about the change of heart through media reports. She stated that she had not received a personal apology from Pesutto. When asked about the possibility of an in-person apology, Pesutto responded that he was “open” to it but had not set a specific timeline.
Meanwhile, the party’s internal strife has fuelled speculation about Pesutto’s future. MPs Brad Battin, a 12-year veteran of parliament, and rising star Jess Wilson have both been floated as potential leadership candidates. The growing internal rebellion is a sign of the deepening leadership crisis facing the party as it heads into the 2026 state election.
In an effort to navigate the fallout, Pesutto has suggested that he may reshuffle the shadow cabinet in response to the crisis, although he has yet to make any definitive moves. “I’m always reviewing the membership and composition of the shadow cabinet,” he remarked, acknowledging the need for significant changes in light of the recent controversies surrounding both his leadership and Deeming’s future within the party.
As the January meeting looms, the Victorian Liberal Party faces a period of uncertainty, with Pesutto’s leadership and the fate of Moira Deeming hanging in the balance.
