Opposition leader John Pesutto says he can bring his party together after facing boos and a walk out by Moira Deeming supporters at a Liberal conference.
Mr Pesutto was heckled by a significant contingent of the 400-strong crowd of Liberal members as he took to the stage to make a state address shortly before 10am.
Some members, holding Moira Deeming masks, hurled abuse at the leader while others chanted “shame, shame, shame”.
The protest caused heated interactions between some Liberal members who demanded detractors leave the room.
A Moria Deeming supporter challenges Presutto. Picture: David Crosling
Liberal members are gathered for the Victorian Liberal Sate Council. Picture: David Crosling
When he declared: “I am of this party”, one heckler screamed “rubbish”.
Mr Pesutto urged members to give him a chance.
“I am of the grassroots of the organisational wing of this party,” he said.
“Outside of this family, this party has been my life. Friends, you know me, and I need you to understand that with 30 years of uninterrupted dedicated devote to everything we fight for day in, day out.
“I would never do anything if I didn’t believe it was necessary to help us win elections.
“We are a team. We need to be focused. We need to be disciplined.”
Mr Pesutto told members he was confident he could win government in 2026, and said he would channel the Kennett government and be ready to govern.
“It’s only a handful of seats, in relative terms, in the right places that mean a fourth term in opposition and a term in government,” he said.
“The 2026 election is there for us to win.
Mr Pesutto also announced a comprehensive review of the state’s tax system if elected.
Pesutto faced a hostile crowd at a party conference on Saturday. Picture: David Crosling
Pesutto greats a member. Picture: David Crosling
Liberal Party state president Greg Mirabella lashed members and MPs over what he has described as a “cancer” destroying the party.
Addressing the conference, Mr Mirabella said warring factions within the party had to stop airing their grievances publicly.
“There is a cancer in the Liberal Party, it has been there for a long time,” he said.
“It is the propensity with which Liberals take their disputes, their grievances, their dislikes, to the media.”
Mr Mirabella said members generated tens of thousands of dollars of worth of free advertising for the ALP through trashing the Liberal Party brand.
“This is a message that all members and all members of parliament must hear and must begin to act on. Now,” he said.
At a press conference after the speech Mr Pesutto said he was “very moved” by the reception he had received.
“What I saw was a strong endorsement of my commitment to reforming the party, making sure that we’re an effective opposition, and then the government in 2026,” he said.
“I was overwhelmed by the strong support in that room and I don’t think anybody who was in that room could see it any other way.”
Liberal Party state president Greg Mirabella mixes with guests. Picture: David Crosling
Senior Liberal Party sources said party leaders would usually be given a unanimous standing ovation.
That half the room refused to stand for Mr Pesutto, others didn’t applaud, and some walked out, was something that had never been seen before.
“He’s finished if he can’t keep the membership united,” one source said.
But Mr Pesutto said he was confident he could bring members together.
He also shrugged off talk of a federal intervention, or increased speculation he could face a challenge for the leadership.
“My discussions with federal MPs have been overwhelmingly positive and they know I’m trying to do and they know that I’m trying as part of a broader team effort to reform the Liberal Party,” he said.
“I certainly understand that not everybody will agree with the decisions that are taken from time to time and that’s just a natural part of leadership.
“I would love to be able to look at everyone and have everybody agree with every decision I make, but I’m the leader of a team, and at the end of the day, we have to make decisions.
“I make those decisions in the best interest of the party and after consultation with my colleagues and other key stakeholders.”
Pesutto faces party backlash at Libs conference
Opposition Leader John Pesutto is bracing for a hostile reception at a Liberal Party conference on Saturday.
He will address party members at a State Council function in Bendigo where he is expected to outline his vision to reform the party.
It comes as speculation mounts over a potential challenge to his leadership.
Sources said they expected “the knives to be out” for Mr Pesutto when he addressed members, with protesters planning to interrupt the speech.
Members have openly discussed a mass walkout, booing, and appearing in Moira Deeming masks.
Michael O’Brien has been linked to the leadership spill speculation. Picture: Daniel Pockett
Mr Pesutto’s decision to initiate moves to expel Mrs Deeming after she attended a Let Women Speak rally in March have caused widespread anger across grassroots members.
Federal Liberals were left enraged by Mr Pesutto’s insistence to expel Mrs Deeming, which he instigated in the week before the Aston by-election.
Even staunch allies questioned the move and Mr Pesutto’s political judgment, citing his inability to deal with the matter in-house.
“He’s lost the party completely,” one source said.
“I think the general view is that the only way out of the mess we’re in is for John not to be there.
“The branch members think he’s shown a woeful lack of judgment. ‘Why did you create this mess?’, that’s what they’re saying.”
On Friday, the Herald Sun was told MPs had been gauging interest in a potential leadership challenge.
It is understood support for a coup was also being courted outside the parliamentary team. Former leader Michael O’Brien, who has privately ruled out a return to the role, and opposition treasury spokesman Brad Rowswell have been linked to the speculation.
Mr Rowswell described speculation over leadership grumblings as fantasy.
Mr Pesutto won the leadership in December by a single vote. However, his political judgment was called into question after he moved to expel Mrs Deeming.
One senior Liberal source said “John is finished, it’s just a matter of time when”. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui
He buckled to pressure and agreed to a compromise deal that resulted in Mrs Deeming incurring a nine-month suspension before successfully moving to expel her.
“John is finished. It’s just a matter of when,” one senior Liberal source said after he struck the deal.
He is now subject to the threat of defamation proceedings by Mrs Deeming.
Despite Mr Pesutto’s claims that Mrs Deeming now faced expulsion from the wider Liberal Party, state president Greg Mirabella said the move was not being considered by the powerful administration committee.
It is widely considered there is no appetite from branch members to expel Mrs Deeming. Sources also questioned whether there would be enough support within the party room to mount a challenge.
Supporters of Mr Pesutto pointed to last week’s vote to expel Mrs Deeming, which passed 19-11, as a vote of confidence in him.
A leadership challenge would be the fourth since March 2021 when Brad Battin failed in a coup against Mr O’Brien. Matthew Guy then successfully challenged for the job in September 2021. Mr Pesutto beat Mr Battin for the job by a single vote in the wake of November’s thumping election loss.