00:00Exiled in parliament, but now vindicated in court.
00:06I am just so delighted with today's result.
00:10Moira Deeming today winning her defamation case against her former parliamentary boss, John Persuto.
00:15I respect the court's decision, so I do accept that the court has delivered this decision, as disappointing as it is.
00:23The federal court ruled the opposition leader defamed Ms Deeming on five occasions.
00:28The imputation found to be conveyed is that Mrs Deeming participated in a rally and knowingly worked with Ms Keane and other organisers
00:37to help them promote their odious Nazi agenda and their white supremacist and ethno-fascist views.
00:44In March last year, Ms Deeming helped organise a Let Women Speak rally at Parliament House, featuring prominent anti-trans rights activist Kelly J Keane.
00:53That rally was gate crashed by neo-Nazis.
00:57Inside the courtroom, Moira Deeming's supporters broke into applause as the judgement was handed down.
01:02John Persuto has been ordered to pay $300,000 in damages and could face an even bigger legal bill, but that will be decided at a future hearing.
01:11Mr Persuto is adamant his leadership is secure.
01:15I've always been a fighter for the right reasons and for the right people, the Victorian people.
01:19And that's why I will continue in this role, now more than ever.
01:23John Persuto's position as Leader of the Opposition and indeed Alternative Premier is completely in shreds today.
01:30Ms Deeming was expelled from the Liberal Parliamentary Party after threatening to sue the Leader.
01:36Now she says she should be welcomed back into the fold.
01:39I have every right to be there. I did nothing wrong.
01:42Everything, all the accusations that were made about me, they were justice proven in court.
01:48Questions of readmission or expulsion from any party room are matters for the members of that party room.
01:54Whether that would happen under Mr Persuto's leadership remains to be seen.
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