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John Pesutto has confirmed he will continue his role as Victoria’s opposition leader after a federal court found he defamed MP Moira Deeming in comments made after neo-Nazis gatecrashed a rally she helped organise.
At a press conference, Deeming criticised what she called a “relentless and remorseless campaign” against her following the rally, which resulted in her exit from the Victorian Liberal party. Speaking to media outside Victorian parliament, Pesutto described the outcome as “very disappointing”. Asked about former prime minister Tony Abbott’s statement on X that Deeming “should now swiftly be readmitted to the party room”, Pesutto responded: “They’re matters for Mr Abbott, and I don’t wish to comment on this.”
Guardian Australia understands several Liberal MPs earlier urged Pesutto to resign, with his deputy leader, David Southwick, and leader in the upper house, Georgie Crozier, also told to “seriously consider their future”.
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In video
Rare vision of WA’s Scott Reef shows dazzling ecosystem threatened by gas projects
A dozen marine scientists, film-makers, musicians and conservationists have made a voyage to one of Australia’s wildest and most remote coral reefs, to document the threats posed by Woodside’s Browse gas proposal.
What they said …
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“It is ridiculous to doubt our leading scientist’s energy modelling just because it clashes with your political ambitions.”
Former NSW Liberal MP turned chair of the Climate Change Authority, Matt Kean, has criticised those attempting to politicise the CSIRO’s work on the likely costs of nuclear reactors including opposition leader, Peter Dutton.
In numbers
A Voyage to Terra Australis, compiled by Flinders after his first complete trip around Australia, has gone under the gavel at auction house Christie’s. The work is described as “a monumental work”.
Before bed read
‘I don’t need Peter Dutton to tell me as a Jewish person how to respond to antisemitism’
“Politics was the last thing on my mind when I saw parts of the Melbourne synagogue reduced to ashes after the fire,” writes Labor MP Josh Burns.
“My only concern right now is supporting my community through what has been the worst week in my lifetime to be Jewish in Australia. The last week has shown us there is a lot more work to be done to combat antisemitism in this country.”
Daily word game
Today’s starter word is: SCH. You have five goes to get the longest word including the starter word. Play Wordiply.
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