Opposition Leader John Pesutto is facing a leadership challenge with a vote scheduled for Friday. A dispute has arisen over whether Pesutto can allow members to vote remotely, with former ally James Newbury accusing him of breaching the party’s constitution.
A war of words has erupted between Opposition Leader John Pesutto and his former ally James Newbury over whether Pesutto can allow members to vote remotely at Friday’s meeting, which will decide the embattled leader's fate. Pesutto emailed the party on Tuesday informing his colleagues he would allow members to vote remotely. He wrote, 'I have received requests from Cindy McLeish and Nicholas McGowan to participate in Friday’s meeting even though they will be physically absent.
I have sought advice from the shadow attorney-general, who advises me that it is open to me in the circumstances to exercise the authority to enable remote participation.' Newbury, one of the five shadow cabinet MPs who signed a letter forcing the meeting, publicly opposed the move, accusing Pesutto of breaching the party’s constitution in favor of his personal interests. 'Further, I strongly believe that the party room should not allow a precedent to be set that meetings should no longer be held in person, where a leader determines it may not be in his personal interests,' Newbury wrote. Pesutto’s push for remote voting fueled speculation that McGowan would side with him. McLeish has also been a supporter of Pesutto in the past, providing at least one crucial vote as he has tried to prevent a leadership spill. MPs Richard Welch and David Hodgett are also unable to attend in person during what is normally a holiday period for MPs. Pesutto had initially called a party meeting for January 15th, in a last-ditch effort to save his job by making a shock concession and agreeing to readmit exiled MP Moira Deeming. His rivals then moved to bring the meeting forward to Friday, a sign the group backing shadow police minister Brad Battin is confident of winning the majority support of the party room. Signatories forcing the meeting included Newbury, housing spokesman Richard Riordan, recently resigned frontbencher Sam Groth and opposition spokesperson for industry Bridget Vallence
Leadership Challenge Remote Voting John Pesutto James Newbury Victorian Opposition
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