Pesutto’s defamation case loss raises questions about Victorian opposition party leadership

The Victorian opposition has been rocked by a ruling against its leader, with questions over how it will impact the next state election.

Transcript

00:00The next few weeks will be crucial politically for the opposition leader after the defamation

00:08ruling against him.

00:09The Federal Court ruled in favour of ousted MP Moira Deeming, who had successfully argued

00:16that her reputation was unfairly smeared by Mr Persuto, who had suggested that she was

00:22a Nazi sympathiser.

00:23That was in the wake of her attending an anti-trans rights rally here on the steps of State Parliament

00:28last year, which was gate crashed by neo-Nazis.

00:32Now the Court has awarded Ms Deeming $300,000 in damages and Mr Persuto's bill could go

00:38even higher when legal fees are also taken into account.

00:43And Ms Deeming is now saying that she wants to return to the parliamentary party room.

00:49Meanwhile we've heard from the Deputy Premier who has called on Mr Persuto to resign, saying

00:54that his position is no longer tenable.

00:57And that's something that's being echoed privately by critics within his own party.

01:03Even though Mr Persuto is standing firm, saying he's not going anywhere, we're hearing from

01:08some of those critics who say that this defamation judgment is an utter humiliation for the party.

01:15This has really exposed some of those deep divisions within the party and the bitter

01:20infighting that remains.

01:23And it is going to be that crucial test for John Persuto.

01:27The one thing that is in his favour is that there is no clear challenger at this stage.

01:33But some political analysts are saying that this has really taken the wind out of the

01:37sails of the Liberal Party.

01:39And it's going to be a very interesting time over the next couple of weeks.