After a week of spectacular self-sabotage, the Victorian Liberal party’s pain is only just beginning

As John Pesutto scrambles to raise funds to pay $2.3m owed to Moira Deeming, the saga threatens to ‘engulf the entire party’, including its new leaderGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastIt was meant to be the Victorian Liberals’ week. Instead, the party – now almost synonymous with political self-sabotage – has imploded once again.And it’s likely only going to get worse from here as the countdown officially begins for former leader John Pesutto to pay the $2.3m in legal fees he owes Moira Deeming or face bankruptcy after he was found in December to have defamed her.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news emailThis article was amended on 31 May 2025. Jess Wilson challenged for Victorian Liberal leadership, not deputy leadership as stated in an earlier version. Continue reading...

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