John Pesutto refuses to be drawn on Victorian Liberal MPs vote to expel Moira Deeming from party room

Victorian Liberal Party leader John Pesutto has refused to disclose the reasons MPs voted to expel Moira Deeming from the party room, saying the issues had been widely aired.

The divide within the warring Victorian Liberal Party has consolidated, with more than a third of MPs voting against a motion to expel rogue MP Moira Deeming.

In what has been described as a “concerning blow” to John Pesutto’s leadership, a vote to expel Mrs Deeming passed 19-11 on Friday after she threatened legal action against the Opposition Leader.

Sources said Mr Pesutto had anticipated the support of up to 27 MPs.

“There were some people who vote against these motions who vote on principle. It’s not a reflection on anyone’s leadership,” Mr Pesutto said.

The party’s 30 MPs met at a special two-hour party room meeting in which conservative MP Renee Heath was also stripped of her role as secretary.

It followed allegations Ms Heath, who has complained of being bullied by party leadership, leaked minutes of an earlier party room meeting in which Mrs Deeming narrowly avoided expulsion.

John Pesutto insists the party room is now united. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

Liberal MPs who are understood to have supported Ms Deeming are: Member for Berwick Brad Battin, Member for Croydon David Hodgett, Member for Eastern Victoria Region Renee Heath, Member for Polwarth Richard Riordan, Member for Warrandyte Ryan Smith, Member for Mornington Chris Crewther, Member for Western Victoria region Joe McCraken, Member for North Eastern Metropolitan Region Nick McGowan, Member for Benambra Bill Tilley, Member for Western Victorian Region Bev McArthur and Member for Rowville Kim Wells.

Mr Pesutto refused to say why Mrs Deeming, who did not attend the meeting, was expelled, claiming it would breach the party room confidentiality.

She was the second Liberal MP to be expelled in 12 months, following fellow conservative MP Bernie Finn who she replaced.

Mr Pesutto said Liberal Party members would be given specific reasons, but said it wasn’t

about “excluding people because of their viewpoints”.

“I’m not going into all the details … party members knew exactly what was before them. A lot of this was self-evident and on the public record.

“This was more about being part of a team and being disciplined.

“I think that was operating on the minds of the people who made the ultimate decision today.

“This is not a decision any political party will take lightly. I certainly want this to be the last time we invoke our disciplinary procedures.”

Mr Pesutto insisted the party room was now united and moving in the same direction.

“We made real progress today. There’s a very good understanding of how united and disciplined we need to be.”

However several parliamentary sources, speaking anonymously, said the vote showed a clear

Moira Deeming has been expelled from the Liberal party room. Picture: Luis Ascui

divide between the conservatives and moderates within the party.

“While many MPs will have voted to expel Moira today in order to bring an end to this ongoing saga, John’s inability to deal with this issue appropriately has permanently damaged his leadership,” one source said.

“A significant portion of the party room do not have confidence in his capacity to lead the Party effectively.

“Meanwhile, the Party membership in Victoria are today reading their recently received membership renewal notices and questioning whether this Party leadership really represent their values.

“The members don’t want their Party to be a pale imitation of the ALP. They want the Party to stand up for their values in the face of continued left wing encroachment, not join them.”

But former Liberal Party strategist Tony Barry said the expulsion was a clear turning point for the party.

“John Pesutto has drawn a line in the sand that Liberal Party wants to be defined by what it stands for and not for what it stands against,” he said.

“Unfortunately there’s still a small group of Liberal MPs who’d fight over a car park if they had a chance.

“The challenge for these Liberals is to unite, stop the senseless fighting and focus on winning external elections instead of internal elections.”

Moves to expel Mrs Deeming from the wider Liberal Party are now being considered by the administrative wing of the party.

Liberal Party sources have been privately scathing of Mr Pesutto’s handling of the Deeming saga.

Conservative MP Renee Heath was also stripped of her role as secretary. Picture: Facebook

It started when Mr Pesutto launched an initial bid to expel Mrs Deeming after she attended a Let Women Speak Rally that was gatecrashed by neo-Nazis in March.

The move was considered as an overreach by many within the party who felt the matter could have been privately handled.

Mrs Deeming was ultimately suspended from the party room for nine months.

But a second motion to expel her was moved by five colleagues last week after she threatened to launch legal action over claims Mr Pesutto reneged on key terms of her suspension.

She, and other colleagues, insist Mr Pesutto agreed to publicly exonerate Mrs Deeming of any wrongdoing over her attendance at the rally.

On Thursday, lawyers for Mrs Deeming served Mr Pesutto with a defamation concerns notice, flagging the potential of a lengthy and public Federal Court battle.

“You cannot sue your boss and expect to keep your job,” Brighton MP James Newbury said after the vote.

Mr Pesutto said he had engaged lawyers but would not say whether the Liberal Party would fund the case.

Premier Daniel Andrews said it was telling Mrs Deeming was only expelled after she threatened legal action.

“The moment she threatened to sue Mr Pesutto, she has to go. That tells you all you need to know,” Andrews said.

“They’re about themselves. What’s more, they’re opposed to everything, including each other.”