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

‘It’s pretty obvious we’ve had some tensions in the party,’ said Victorian Liberal leader Brad Battin (left), pictured here with deputy Sam Groth. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP

It 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.