A defamation case involving Victorian opposition leader John Pesutto, is likely to stretch into the next parliamentary sitting week. Some liberal MPs have expressed their concern over the damage the case may be doing to the party - and the effect it will have on Mr Pesutto as leader.
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00:00Welcome to the show.
00:07How are we going guys?
00:09Crispy chilli oil, great Victorian products here.
00:12But it's the political sideshow that's continuing to dog Victoria's Liberal Party.
00:16Do you want to be the next leader?
00:18Sorry, where's my entry?
00:20We'll take you.
00:22We're trying to get away from all of you.
00:24As leader John Persuto continues to defend a defamation suit
00:27brought on by his former colleague Moira Deeming,
00:30who claims her former boss implied she had Nazi links.
00:33Good morning everybody, I've got a race in.
00:35Some MPs are privately concerned the case is becoming
00:38too big a distraction for the party
00:41and are questioning Mr Persuto's position.
00:43How's your leadership?
00:44Oh, it's stable. Very good.
00:45Are you confident you have the support of colleagues?
00:47Yes, absolutely.
00:48All colleagues?
00:49I am very sure.
00:51I speak to my colleagues regularly and I've got no concerns in that area.
00:54Have they got any concerns?
00:55None expressed to me.
00:56You'll be there at the next election?
00:57Yes.
00:58How confident are you in it?
00:59Very, very confident.
01:00What makes you so confident?
01:01Because he is a great leader.
01:03While others in the coalition had a message
01:05for those who might be losing faith.
01:07Go and have a long cold shower and get on with your job.
01:10This defamation case will now drag on through most of October,
01:13meaning it'll hang over the opposition throughout the next sitting week.
01:17Today John Persuto's defence in the trial continued
01:20with former Liberal MP Matt Barke being called back from the UK
01:24to give evidence.
01:25I better do, I think, most of my talking in court today.
01:29And he did, claiming the Liberal Party had a culture
01:32of secretly recording each other.
01:34Afternoon, Dave.
01:35There you go.
01:36Deputy Leader David Southwick will give evidence tomorrow.
01:39Elias Kluwer, ABC News, Melbourne.