Victorian Liberal leader John Pesutto paid $50,000 to cover the legal bills of two women’s rights activists suing him for defamation after he suggested they were linked to neo-Nazis, keeping the payment out of his deed of settlement, and having it wired directly into a trust by his former staffer.
Private correspondence obtained by The Australian and Sky News Australia reveals Xavier Boffa transferred the payment on Mr Pesutto’s behalf to pay legal fees charged by Alexander Rashidi Lawyers for solicitor Katherine Deves and barrister Bridie Nolan.
Mr Boffa, an informal adviser to Mr Pesutto who heads legal think tank the Samuel Griffith Society, made the payment in three separate instalments – $20,000, $20,000 and $10,000 – just prior to Mr Pesutto signing deeds with activists Angela Jones and Kellie-Jay Keen in May.
Mr Pesutto previously claimed he made a “small” contribution to costs to settle the matter, but The Australian and Sky News Australia can reveal his contribution covered the entire $50,000 bill invoiced to the clients.
The exact terms of the settlement and negotiations between parties have until now been kept secret.
Ms Jones’ and Ms Keen’s matters were settled in May after the two women signed deeds of settlement and release that required Mr Pesutto to issue a statement describing them as “passionate women’s rights activists with long histories of advocacy in Australia and internationally”.
Both deeds included clauses stating they embodied “the entire agreement” between the parties, and saying there was “no obligation” for a “monetary sum” to be paid by Mr Pesutto to Ms Jones or Ms Keen under the deed.
Source: Pesutto paid ‘secret’ $50k to cover women’s rights activists’ legal bills