Climate 200 founder Simon Holmes à Court has made a shock donation towards helping former Victorian Liberal leader John Pesutto and his family.
The son of Australian billionaire Robert Holmes à Court had ditched supporting the Liberal Party after falling out with former party deputy leader Josh Frydenberg.
He went on to set up Climate 200, a major backer of Teal independents in the 2022 and 2025 federal elections.
The funding was pivotal in getting MPs such as Kooyong MP Monique Ryan, Wentworth MP Allegra Spender and now defeated MP for Goldstein Zoe Daniel.
However, it has now been revealed Mr Holmes à Court has donated to a GoFundMe page set up to help former Victorian Liberal leader John Pesutto cover legal costs after Mr Pesutto lost an expensive defamation case to Victorian Liberal MP Moira Deeming.
A $500 donation has been paid in Mr Holmes à Court’s name, and he has since confirmed to The Age that the donation is legitimate.
“It’s unconscionable that entities associated with the Victorian Liberals – with investments approaching $200 million — are prepared to leave John and his family destitute, especially when he was acting as the leader of the party and with the full support of the leadership team,” Mr Holmes à Court told the masthead.
“Good luck attracting talent to join the party after this debacle.”
Mr Pesutto has been ordered to pay $2.3 million following the long-running defamation case brought on by Ms Deeming.
The huge sum imposed by the Federal Court on Friday risks tipping the former Victorian Liberal leader into bankruptcy, potentially leading him to lose a seat in the state’s parliament.
Bankrupt citizens are not allowed to sit in state parliament, meaning a by-election in his Melbourne seat of Hawthorn will need to be held if bankruptcy is declared.
It is understood Mr Pesutto is seeking loans from Liberal powerbrokers and has already received financial gifts from Liberal Victorian premiers Ted Baillieu, Jeff Kennett and Denis Napthine, among others.
Mr Pesutto released a public statement following the court decision that said he was “determined” to continue serving Hawthorn.
”Whilst I am taking time to review today’s Court decision with family and advisers, I reiterate that I am determined to continue serving the people of my electorate of Hawthorn and the people of Victoria for as long as they will have me,” the statement said.
“I am grateful for the support I am receiving from the community and am hopeful with this support that I will be able to fulfill these obligations and continue serving the people of Victoria.”
The GoFundMe campaign set up for him by genuine supporters has so far raised more than $135,000 and received 390 donations.
A fake fundraising page has also been set up, which has Mr Pesutto has called “deplorable”.
“To have people who are creating a false account and falsely representing something to be from me when it’s not, I think that’s deplorable and I’ve asked the party to keep an eye out on who may be involved in that,” Mr Pesutto told the ABC.
