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Pesutto has claimed she failed to properly distance herself from organisers of the rally,who he alleges had associated with neo-Nazis or white supremacists. He alleges she failed to recognise the seriousness of staying at the protest when neo-Nazis arrived,and of celebrating with organisers afterwards.

After months of mediation,Deemingfiled defamation proceedings against Pesutto in the Federal Court. She alleges Pesutto painted her as a Nazi sympathiser,a claim he rejects.

Pesutto’s defence,filed in the Federal Court,says he always unequivocally said she was not a Nazi and rejected that she was entitled to any aggravated damages in the event her case succeeds.

If the court finds that she was entitled to aggravated damages,he argues that damages should be limited because he claims Deeming “acted in a manner that is likely to have caused damage to her own reputation by putting into the public domain false assertions that she had been branded a Nazi,a person with Nazi associations,or a Nazi sympathiser by the leader of the opposition”.

Deeming alleges Pesutto campaigned to expel her,which she says caused vandalism of her office,threats,harassment,contempt and ridicule,and that she had been uninvited from events. She alleges she suffered substantial hurt,distress and embarrassment and fear for her safety and financial security.

The case management hearing on Friday could be uncomfortable for Pesutto,whose party room has become disgruntled by the distraction and by the leadership team’s decisions.

Crossbench MP Moira Deeming has launched a defamation case against state Opposition Leader John Pesutto.Credit:Joe Armao

Liberal MPs returned from a three-day retreat in Bendigo this week,where Pesutto faced criticism about the decision toshift policy on the Suburban Rail Loop without broader consultation with the party room.

Speaking toThe Age on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal party matters,two Liberal MPs said the retreat had put Pesutto under more pressure.

“I think it’s made things worse,” the MP said. “They[the leadership] just doubled down on all their positions.”

Pesutto at a press conference on Thursday said it was “great for the team to get back together” for the retreat and insisted his leadership was safe.

Deeming,who won’t be at court for Friday’s hearing,declined to comment when contacted byThe Age.

“This has now been handed over to the lawyers,” she said. “I can’t comment further.”

She remains a crossbench MP in the upper house and a member of the broader Liberal Party.

Pesutto will not attend court on Friday either.

“I’ve got a job to do as opposition leader and alternative premier,” he said on Thursday.

“We’re focused on the issues that concern the Victorian people. That’s all I’m concerned about. I’m not concerned about anything that might be happening[in court] tomorrow.”

Deeming has also issued a concerns notice against deputy Liberal leader David Southwick. Her legal team initially planned to push for the two defamation proceedings to be heard as one,but that is no longer the case.

The upper house MP’s claimshave also been taken up by the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls,Reem Alsalem,who late last year sought assurances from the federal government that it was working to shield women in politics from online violence and defamation.

Pesutto’s office declined to make further comment on Thursday.

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