Australia's Federal Court in Melbourne prepares to deliver its long-awaited verdict in Moira Deeming’s defamation case against John Pesutto. After a two-year stoush and a three-and-a-half-week trial, Justice David O’Callaghan is set to hand down his judgment today.

Deeming alleges that Pesutto defamed her by implying she was a Nazi or sympathiser following a Let Women Speak rally in March 2023. On the day, a group of white nationalists crashed the event and performed the Nazi salute on parliament’s steps, but Deeming insists they had no connection to her rally.

She has repeatedly maintained her support for sex-based rights and stated she does not hold homophobic or transphobic views.

Her barrister has argued that Pesutto used the appearance of these men as a “pretext to just get rid of her”. Meanwhile, Pesutto’s barrister has claimed the allegations are unfounded and had “nothing to do with Mrs Deeming’s views”.

Deeming was suspended and ultimately expelled from the Liberals, while rumblings of a leadership challenge against Pesutto persist.