Victorian Liberal leader John Pesutto’s humbling backdown as he apologises to anti-trans activist over neo-Nazi claim
Victoria’s opposition leader has settled two high-profile defamation cases with a “full and magnanimous” apology.
Mr Pesutto on Friday withdrew British anti-train activist Kellie-Jay Keen and Australian woman Angie Jones.
“I never believed or intended to claim that Kellie-Jay Keen and Angela Jones are neo-Nazis,” he wrote.
“I agree with them that genuine community concerns about women’s safety and access to single-sex spaces, services and sports warrant meaningful public discussion.
“My comments may have been misinterpreted as a signal that I believed this was the case. I apologize for any pain, distress or harm that may have occurred.”
Mrs. Keen said she “graciously” accepted Mr Pesutto’s apology in a statement on YouTube.
Victorian Liberal leader John Pesutto (pictured) expressed opposition on Friday to British activist Kellie-Jay Keen and Australian woman Angie Jones
Anti-trans activist Ms Keen (pictured) said she “graciously” accepted Mr Pesutto’s apology in a statement on YouTube
“It’s such a great step for Australian women that today, more than yesterday, they feel a little safer talking about the unthinkable things that happen to them,” she said.
“I think this apology will give women some measure of comfort that they actually have the right to speak out about this quasi-religious authoritarian cult known as transgenderism.”
Ms Keen and Ms Jones, along with former Liberal MP Moira Deeming, have both taken Mr Pesutto to court, claiming he damaged their reputations after a meeting in March 2023.
The Let Women Speak event – organized by Ms Jones, headlined by Ms Keen and attended by Ms Deeming – was ambushed by a group of masked men giving the Nazi salute.
Moira Deeming was expelled from the parliamentary Liberal Party and is now an independent MP.
Ms Deeming, Ms Keen and Ms Jones claimed Pesutto had defamed them by suggesting in the aftermath that they were linked to far-right extremists, including neo-Nazis.
The Liberal leader previously said he would vigorously challenge all three defamation lawsuits.
Now his only defamation fight is against Ms. Deeming and he will appear in federal court in September.
The first-term MP was expelled from the parliamentary Liberal Party after taking part in the Let Women Speak rally in March.
Ms. Deeming has sent several defamation notices to Mr. Pesutto, alleging that he publicly accused her of being a Nazi sympathizer and used this allegation to bully her and threaten her with deportation.
Pesutto denies accusing the now independent MP of being a Nazi or having Nazi sympathies.