Moira Deeming to lodge defamation action against Victorian Liberal leader John Pesutto

Exiled MP Moira Deeming is set to lodge defamation action against Victorian Liberal leader John Pesutto, with a claim of up to $1m in compensation and legal costs. Deeming’s

Exiled MP Moira Deeming is demanding up to $1m in her claim against Opposition Leader John Pesutto, sources have claimed.

Mrs Deeming is planning to lodge formal defamation action in court this week after a final attempt at private mediation failed on Sunday.

It has now been claimed as part of her case Mrs Deeming had demanded up to $1m in compensation and legal costs.

She also wants a motion to expel her from the parliamentary party rescinded, reinstatement to the party, and a public apology.

Moira Deeming is planning to lodge formal defamation action. Picture: Arsineh Houspian

Mrs Deeming described the $1m claim as an “out and out lie”.

Mr Pesutto moved to expel Mrs Deeming in March after she attended the now infamous Let Women Speak rally on the steps of Parliament House.

As part of his campaign to expel her Mr Pesutto compiled and distributed a 15-page dossier of evidence backing his case.

In it, he accused her of having Nazi links and “conducting activities in a manner likely to bring discredit on the Parliament or the Parliamentary Party.”

Mrs Deeming at the Let Women Speak rally. Picture: Supplied.

It resulted in a 9-month ban from the party room and subsequent expulsion.

Senior Liberals have been desperate for Mr Pesutto to deal with the matter privately and avoid a public legal fight.

It is expected multiple senior MPs and key officials from his leader’s office could be called to testify.

Text messages and emails from key staff could also be central to the case, sources said.

However Mr Pesutto has repeatedly said he was confident the matter would never get to court.

In a statement on Monday Mrs Deeming said she would stop at nothing to clear her name.

“Both during and after our rally, I and the organisers publicly condemned the Neo-Nazis, Nazism, antisemitism and bigotry of any kind. I did not know those neo-Nazis and did not arrange for them to gatecrash our event,” she said.

“The next day, I was called into a meeting and informed by the Liberal Party leadership that if I refused to denounce the ‘Let Women Speak’ rally and it’s organisers as being extremists and Nazi’s/Nazi associates, they’d move a motion to expel me from the parliamentary team.

Or, I was told, I could just resign and make it easier on everyone’. I declined.

“I was then falsely and publicly accused by the Victorian Liberal Leader, Mr John Pesutto, of being a knowing associate of Neo-Nazi sympathisers and extremists, and therefore deserving of expulsion from the Parliamentary Liberal Party.”

John Pesutto expelled Moira Deeming from the Liberal Party. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

Mrs Deeming said the unjustifiable and defamatory actions” had caused her family “enormous harm, personally, financially and reputationally”.

“Out of respect for the Liberal Party members who have supported me, I and many other senior Liberal figures have tried to use internal party processes to resolve this matter and avoid legal action for eight long months.

“All I have ever wanted from Mr Pesutto was a full and official exoneration so that my children don’t have to live under this ‘Nazi bigot’ slur, restoration of my financial position, and my rightful return to the Party Room as an elected Liberal MP.”

In a rare statement on the ongoing dispute on Monday, Mr Pesutto said Mrs Deeming’s expulsion was not about her views on women’s issues.

“I have never called Mrs Deeming a neo-Nazi or sympathiser,” he said.

“The issues in this matter have never concerned freedom of speech.

“The issue has always been whether Mrs Deeming called out or distanced herself from neo-Nazi protesters and references when asked to do so by senior Liberals.

“Along with many others in the Party, I have genuinely tried to reach a mutually acceptable outcome.

“I will vigorously defend the Liberal Party and myself in any proceedings and will not be asking the Party to cover any legal fees.”