Victorian Liberals Face Leadership Test Over Moira Deeming Reinstatement Vote

A push to return Moira Deeming to the party room following her defamation court victory challenges John Pesutto’s leadership stability.

Five Victorian Liberal MPs have called for a special party room meeting to vote on reinstating Moira Deeming after her Federal Court defamation win against party leader John Pesutto.
Deeming was awarded $300,000 in damages after the court ruled Pesutto’s claims of her knowingly associating with neo-Nazis were baseless.
The meeting, scheduled for Friday, is not officially intended as a leadership challenge, but Pesutto’s leadership could become untenable if Deeming is reinstated.
Pesutto’s refusal to apologize or retract his statements has frustrated some MPs, with one frontbencher resigning in protest over his handling of the case.
Deeming’s supporters argue her expulsion was unjustified and are pushing for her immediate readmission to the parliamentary Liberal Party.