By Chip Le Grand

Copyright brisbanetimes

The decisions by Michael O’Brien and David Hodgett to quit politics before the next election, having each served 20 years in parliament and as ministers in the last Coalition government, effectively opens two vacancies on the opposition frontbench.

One of those vacancies should be filled by John Pesutto, who has informed Battin that 10 months after his own leadership was consumed by a bonfire of hatred sparked by his defaming of colleague Moira Deeming, he is ready to return from backbench exile.

If Battin wanted to make the most of Pesutto’s talents and experience, he would give him O’Brien’s post of shadow attorney-general, a position Pesutto held in the lead-up to the 2018 state election. Given Pesutto has also held portfolios across education, child protection and multicultural affairs, there are other paths open for Battin to bring the leader he toppled back into shadow cabinet.

Battin also knows that if he promotes Pesutto, it will enrage Deeming, her supporters in parliament, some branch members and anyone within reach of a live microphone at Sky News.

The long tail of the Pesutto/Deeming feud is still wagging its way through the Supreme Court, where members of the party’s governing administrative committee are challenging a decision taken by the committee three months ago to lend Pesutto $1.55 million to settle his legal bills and avoid bankruptcy.