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AAP
AAP
Politics
Callum Godde

Legal documents 'stunt' on Liberal leader earns apology

A woman has apologised to Victorian Liberal Leader John Pesutto for breaching parliamentary rules. (Joel Carrett/AAP PHOTOS)

A woman has apologised after trying to serve legal papers to Victorian Opposition Leader John Pesutto in the grounds of state parliament.

In March, Louise Carrigg approached Mr Pesutto at parliament on a sitting day to serve him legal documents on behalf of Angie Jones.

"They've already been served. My lawyers have them," Mr Pesutto said in a video of the interaction.

"I'm not required to take them - I'm a lawyer. This is outrageous."

Ms Jones was an organiser of the 2023 Let Women Speak rally in Melbourne that was gatecrashed by a group of masked men who performed Nazi salutes.

Rally speaker Kellie-Jay Keen, ousted upper house Liberal MP Moira Deeming and Ms Jones sued Mr Pesutto for defamation over comments and statements he made after the event.

Liberal MP James Newbury claimed Ms Carrigg confronted Mr Pesutto to have the moment captured by the media and made a complaint to the privileges committee.

In a report tabled in parliament on Thursday, the committee found Ms Carrigg was in contempt of parliament.

She provided a written apology to the inquiry on October 10 and won't face any punishment.

Mr Pesutto said he had not seen the apology but considered the matter settled.

"I'm not seeking anything further," he told reporters.

Ms Carrigg was registered as a visitor by a member of the Legislative Council, but the report did not name the upper house MP in question.

The speaker has been asked to look at requirements for passholders to be accountable for their visitors' actions and consider any need for change or education.

Ms Jones and Mrs Keen ultimately settled their defamation claims out of court.

Mrs Deeming took her case to trial in the Federal Court, with an outcome expected before the end of 2024.

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