John Pesutto Faces Leadership Spill as Victorian Liberals Remain Divided

Despite strong polling, the Victorian Liberal leader is expected to be ousted, with Brad Battin positioned to take over in a deeply fractured party.

John Pesutto, the most popular Victorian Liberal leader in recent years, is facing a leadership spill despite outperforming his predecessors in polls.
Brad Battin, a former police officer and current MP, is expected to secure the leadership after two previous unsuccessful bids.
The leadership turmoil follows Pesutto's handling of the Moira Deeming defamation case and his reversal on her readmission to the party room.
Concerns have been raised about the potential exclusion of women from senior leadership roles, with calls for greater gender representation in the party's leadership team.
The Victorian Liberal Party remains deeply divided, with critics questioning its ability to present a unified front against Premier Jacinta Allan's Labor government.