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British gender-critical activist Kellie-Jay Keen is seeking aggravated damages in a defamation writ lodged in the Federal Court against Victorian Opposition Leader John Pesutto.

Keen accuses Pesutto of “engaging in a calculated and purposeful media campaign” to depict her as a “callous, irresponsible, despicable, racist and white supremacist that supports neo-Nazi ideology and right-wing extremism”.

In court documents obtained by this masthead, Keen says Pesutto engaged in the campaign to justify his proposed expulsion of state MP Moira Deeming from the Liberal Party.

The statement of claim against Pesutto follows legal action taken by Deeming and scheduled for a two-week hearing in September.

The writ was lodged late on Monday night despite Pesutto making two attempts, also detailed in court documents, to settle the dispute with Keen.

The most recent of these attempts, a without-prejudice offer to resolve the dispute, was received by Keen’s legal team on March 7.

Deeming and Keen’s claims against Pesutto relate to their involvement at a “Let Women Speak” rally staged on the steps of state parliament a year ago.

After the rally was gate crashed by neo-Nazis, Pesutto conducted a series of interviews and authorised the release of material which criticised Deeming’s attendance at the rally and association with Keen and another women’s rights activist, Angela Jones.

Jones is expected to initiate separate legal action against Pesutto.

The Liberal party room is meeting on Tuesday morning.

More to come.