Moria Deeming presented John Pesutto with an opportunity to sidestep bankruptcy and postpone the payment of $2.3m in legal fees until 2027, with the condition that her candidacy for the upcoming election be confirmed by the Liberal party. The upper house MP initiated bankruptcy proceedings after Pesutto failed to fulfill the May court order which ruled that Pesutto had defamed Deeming by associating her with neo-Nazi sympathies.
On Sunday, Deeming reached out to Pesutto, the party’s president Philip Davis, and the Victorian opposition leader Brad Battin with a proposal to end the controversy for the party. The Liberal party’s federal leader Sussan Ley and Victorian frontbencher Dan Tehan were copied on the communication. However, the proposal was not accepted by the deadline as the terms were not met by the Liberal party.
Deeming expressed her dismay over reports that the state party might consider providing Pesutto with a loan to pay her legal fees, arguing that this would contradict the party’s stance against using party funds for such actions. Her offer to extend the time for Pesutto to pay her legal costs came with conditions, including an endorsement of her preselection for the seat of western metropolitan with a special resolution.
Deeming emphasized the need for the party to “draw a line under the events of the past two years” and focus on their constituents and the upcoming Victorians’ leadership under Battin. Battin did not comment on the proposal and maintained his focus on critical issues such as crime, cost-of-living, and housing shortages.
The report suggests Deeming may not have the sufficient support from local branches for her preselection, which could be determined by the party’s administrative committee, potentially without intervention from Battin.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/jun/11/moira-deeming-john-pesutto-bankruptcy-offer-liberal-party-victoria-preselection-ntwnfb
