Victorian Liberal MPs will gather to thrash out if Moira Deeming can return to the party room after she was defamed by party leader John Pesutto.
A motion calling for Mrs Deeming to re-enter the Liberal parliamentary party room will be debated and put to a vote at a special meeting on Friday morning.
It was signed by Benambra MP Bill Tilley, opposition emergency services spokesman Richard Riordan and first-term backbenchers Renee Heath, Joe McCracken and Chris Crewther.
The rebel group said they wanted to give their colleagues a chance to “do the right thing” after the Federal Court found Mr Pesutto defamed her and ordered he pay $315,632 in damages.
Mr Tilley, who has announced he will retire at the 2026 state election after a leukaemia diagnosis, insists the push is not an attack on Mr Pesutto’s leadership.
John Pesutto said there would be no consequences for members who vote to allow Mrs Deeming’s return. (Joel Carrett/AAP PHOTOS)
Twenty-eight state Liberal MPs are expected to attend, with two absent. Mrs Deeming will need 15 votes to be welcomed back.
Shadow treasurer Brad Rowswell confirmed he would vote against the motion, while opposition police spokesman Brad Battin is siding with Mrs Deeming.
Mr Pesutto said there would be no consequences for members of his shadow cabinet who vote to allow Mrs Deeming’s return.
Justice David O’Callaghan found Mr Pesutto made defamatory comments in media interviews and a party expulsion motion following a March 2023 rally Mrs Deeming attended.
She was expelled from the parliamentary Liberal party after the march, sitting in parliament as an independent MP.
Sam Groth resigned from the shadow cabinet after Mr Pesutto’s lawsuit loss. (Joel Carrett/AAP PHOTOS)
The opposition leader has refused to resign and called for the party to “move on”, before Sam Groth quit shadow cabinet.
Mr Pesutto was ordered to pay Mrs Deeming’s yet-to-be-determined legal costs on Thursday and has given the court an undertaking not to repeat or republish the statements that got him in hot water.