Moira Deeming v John Pesutto: as the defamation battle begins, how did we get here?

Victorian Liberal party leader John Pesutto, left, and former Liberal MP Moira Deeming. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP

A high-stakes defamation battle between Victoria’s opposition leader, John Pesutto, and ex-Liberal MP Moira Deeming begins in the federal court on Monday.

Several senior Liberal MPs will undergo public cross-examination in a trial that threatens to expose disunity within the party.