Tensions in the Liberal party room remain high after two weeks of courtroom drama in Moira Deeming’s defamation trial against leader John Pesutto.
The Victorian Liberal Party is trying to head off rumblings of a leadership challenge as fallout continues from theTensions in the party room remain high after two weeks in court, where about a quarter of the party room faced cross-examination, while other MPs were dragged into the civil suit with private text messages and emails produced as evidence.Joe Armao
“The question everyone must ask is, who is best to maximise our electoral prospects in 2026? The answer is John Pesutto,” Crozier said. But the defamation trial – which is about to enter its third week – angered Liberal MPs across both the moderate and conservative factions, with many now insisting that Pesutto should have worked harder to settle the dispute and avoid the trial, which has been airing the party’s dirty laundry.The Agehas spoken with nine MPs from the state Liberal Party in recent days, on the condition of anonymity to discuss the party’s internal woes, as well as senior party figures.
Victorian Opposition Leader John Pesutto at a press conference in July with Sam Groth, who is considered a contender for the leadership positionSandringham MP Brad Rowswell and Brighton MP James Newbury had also been identified as leadership contenders, but MPs believe Newbury would struggle to unite the broader Coalition after Deeming revealed his stance on duck hunting risked blowing up the Coalition deal in January 2023.
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