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AAP
AAP
Politics
Callum Godde

Liberal leader vows to name contributors to legal fund

Victorian opposition Leader John Pesutto says he'll declare all donors to his legal defence. (Joel Carrett/AAP PHOTOS)

A slanging match has broken out over donations to Victorian Opposition Leader John Pesutto's defamation battle with expelled Liberal MP Moira Deeming.

Mr Pesutto has vowed all contributors to his legal defence will be disclosed after it emerged former Liberal premiers Jeff Kennett, Ted Baillieu and Denis Napthine had donated to the fund.

But Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas was demanding more clarity on the situation on Tuesday, sending out a list of 10 questions for Mr Pesutto to answer.

"(The contributions) will be filed in accordance with parliamentary procedures," Mr Pesutto told reporters at state parliament on Tuesday.

"The minister should focus on her job.

"What concerns me about Mary-Anne Thomas, a bumbling health minister, is that every minute she's spent attacking me, she's not looking after Victorian patients."

Ms Thomas did not take kindly to the barb and returned serve after earlier announcing the expansion of a Victorian pharmacy program to treat skin conditions.

Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas
Minister Mary-Anne Thomas sent Mr Pesutto a list of 10 questions to answer about the donations. (Julian Smith/AAP PHOTOS)

"Unfortunately, there is no treatment yet available for thin skin," she said.

Under the Members of Parliament Standards Act, Victorian MPs are required to declare other sources of income and beneficial interests above $600.

Mr Pesutto, who previously said he would not ask the party to fund his legal defence, will only disclose the names of contributors to his legal fund, not the amount each donated.

The Victorian Electoral Commission has separately confirmed personal gifts are not considered political donations under the Electoral Act and do not require disclosure to them.

"Donating to a person to fund their private legal fees would, by itself, constitute a personal gift that is not used solely or substantially for an election," it said in a statement.

Mrs Deeming was expelled from parliamentary ranks of the Victorian Liberals last year for "bringing discredit" to the party.

Her case centres on a series of media releases, media conferences and radio interviews from Mr Pesutto after she attended a rally in March that was gatecrashed by masked men who performed Nazi salutes.

Her lawyers allege Mr Pesutto made 67 imputations, including that she supports, sympathises with or associates with white supremacists and neo-Nazis.

Mr Pesutto's defence maintains he has repeatedly and unequivocally acknowledged publicly he does not believe Mrs Deeming to be a neo-Nazi, a white supremacist "or anything of similar substance or effect".

Earlier this month, Justice Michael Wheelahan urged Mrs Deeming's legal team to consider condensing its case before the matter returns to the Federal Court on April 26 before a scheduled trial in September.

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