As it happened: Ousted Liberal MP Moira Deeming wins high-profile defamation case; Opposition Leader John Pesutto declares he will not resign

John Pesutto has stopped short of apologising to ex-Liberal MP Moira Deeming after the Federal Court found he defamed her.

When asked if an apology was in order at a press conference, Pesutto said: “I think you’ll appreciate it’s a long judgment. I do want to get my lawyers’ views on the judgment before I do anything further.

“And I think that’s a fairly reasonable position to have. I’m not asking for weeks and weeks. I’m just asking for my lawyers overnight to have a look at the decision in some detail, to give me their thoughts, before I do anything further.

“I think that’s a reasonable ask.”

John Pesutto might have done himself a favour if he’d acquainted himself with a modish law of the internet or had studied a little political philosophy from the last century, writes Tony Wright.

Had the Victorian Liberal leader done so, he might have stumbled across two sage pieces of advice for those unwise enough to reference Nazis in their arguments – and saved himself a lot of trouble after a judge found today that he defamed ousted Liberal Moira Deeming as a Nazi sympathiser.

Both boil down to the idea that if you mention the Nazis, you’ve already lost the argument.

Read the full story here.

John Pesutto has hit back at suggestions he was evasive when he testified in the Federal Court defamation case brought by Moira Deeming.

In a judgment revealed today, Justice David O’Callaghan criticised Pesutto for “time and time again” giving lengthy and non-responsive answers to questions asked of him by Deeming’s barrister, Sue Chrysanthou, SC.

O’Callaghan said he was unable to conclude that Pesutto gave dishonest evidence but described it as “infuriatingly unresponsive”.

At a press conference moments ago, a reporter put these criticisms to Pesutto, who responded:

I’m comfortable that, in this sense, that the judge has not made adverse findings as to credit. It’s not uncommon that people in their evidence may not respond to a question from counsel in the way that counsel may like. And I understand that his honour has put that there, but I think the broader point is that there’s no adverse findings against them in terms of credit.

“Moira Deeming has been vindicated by the Federal Court,” former prime minister Tony Abbott wrote on X.

“No Liberal should ever be in trouble for standing up for the rights of women and girls,” he said in his social media post. “She should now swiftly be readmitted to the party room.”

Opposition Leader John Pesutto has declared he will not resign as Liberal leader after the Federal Court found he defamed ousted MP Moira Deeming.

Speaking at a press conference moments ago, Pesutto said none of his parliamentary colleagues had told him to step down.

“We need better leadership in Victoria. That’s why I have this job. That’s why I intend to continue in this role,” Pesutto said.

“Now, today’s decision by the Federal Court is obviously a very disappointing outcome, but I respect the court’s decision.

“I have always been a fighter,” he told reporters on Thursday afternoon.