John Pesutto finds a way to unite his party – and someone to blame for the housing crisis

Government and Indigenous groups say Victorian Liberal leader’s move to change cultural heritage laws for developments won’t speed up approvals

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What a difference a year makes. After being unceremoniously booed at the Victorian Liberal party council in 2023, the opposition leader, John Pesutto, received a standing ovation from members who gathered at Moonee Valley Racecourse on Sunday.

Just months after rumours of an impending spill against him, Pesutto – a moderate – has managed to tighten his grip on the leadership, seeing off an attempt by conservative forces to take over the party president position and other key administrative roles.

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