Victorian Liberal leader John Pesutto has revealed he has not had to pay any damages to two activists who were suing him for defamation.
Mr Pesutto has published an apology after settling two cases brought by Kellie-Jay Keen and Angie Jones who werepursuing him over comments he made after they were involved in an anti-trans rights rally on the steps of state parliament in March 2023 called "Let Women Speak".
The event was gatecrashed by Neo-Nazis who performed the Nazi salute multiple times.
MP Moira Deeming's involvement in the "Let Women Speak" rally led to her suspension and eventual expulsion from the Liberal party.
At the time, Mr Pesutto released a 15-page letter to the media explaining why Ms Deeming should be ousted from the party, naming Ms Keen, which she said caused her and her family "to experience vile hatred and abuse".
Overnight, he released a statement saying he never believed or intended to assert that Kellie-Jay Keen and Angie Jones were Neo-Nazis.
He said it was also now clear from public statements made by Ms Keen and Ms Jones that they shared his belief that Nazism was odious and contemptible.
"As far as my comments may have been misunderstood as conveying that I believed this to be the case, I apologise for any hurt, distress or harm that has occurred."
In the statement, Mr Pesutto described Ms Keen and Ms Jones as passionate women's rights activists with long histories of advocacy in Australia and internationally.
"I agree with them that genuine community concerns regarding women's safety and access to single-sex spaces, services and sport warrant meaningful public discussion," the statement said.
No compensation as part of deal, Pesutto says
Fronting the media on Friday morning, Mr Pesutto repeatedly declined to speak further to the statement.
He said the wording was compiled in consultation with him and he stands by everything it contains.
"The words used and that were agreed between the parties were very deliberately used by the parties working together to reach a settlement and very precise."
Mr Pesutto said he did not have to pay compensation as part of the settlement, but would share a portion of the legal costs.
He said he agreed with the pair that there should be a discussion about transgender people's access to women's sport and bathrooms.
"Community attitudes have changed and our laws make it clear that they recognise that. Even my own political party recognises the ability of people to identify as they wish."
"I've always said that I'm a Liberal leader who wants the Victorian Liberal Party to be a broad-based mainstream party that attracts the widest possible range of supporters right across the community.
"They're the values under which I am leading the Liberal Party."
Mr Pesutto said negotiations were continuing with Ms Deeming to try to resolve her defamation claims out of court.
"We'll continue to work towards a settlement. If one is possible we'll certainly strive to achieve that," he said.
Kellie-Jay Keen welcomes apology
Ms Keen said she was delighted Mr Pesutto had offered "such a full and magnanimous apology".
"I hope women throughout Australia should feel a little safer speaking about their fears in public," she said.
"Open debate is a sign of a truly vibrant and stable democracy and Pesutto's apology is a step in the right direction."
Activist Angie Jones said she felt "really good" about Mr Pesutto's apology and retraction.
"I'm very appreciative of him doing that," she told reporters on Friday.
"I wish it had been a little bit sooner, but thanks Mr Pesutto.
"I've been called horrible things for 12 months and if the source of some of those allegations comes out and says they aren't true, then that potentially silences other people that call me horrible things."
Mr Pesutto continued to face defamation action brought by exiled liberal MP Moira Deeming.
Mr Pesutto moved to expel Ms Deeming from the party room after the rally.
She was instead suspended for nine months before being ousted from the parliamentary party in May 2023, which led to her lodging a defamation lawsuit against her former boss seeking aggravated damages for alleged defamation.
Victorian government frontbencher Steve Dimopoulos said he had not read Mr Pesutto's statement but made reference to it being released on the International Day Against hom*ophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia.
"While we have a government that continually works to make the lives of all Victorians better, others are fighting battles that I think should have been left in decades gone earlier," Mr Dimopoulos said.
Posted, updated
