Controversial candidate Katherine Deves in hiding after alleged threats from trans activists

The contentious Warringah candidate has broken her silence on comments about transgender athletes, admitting her words did not contribute to ‘constructive, reasonable debate”.

Warringah Liberal candidate Katherine Deves has revealed that she has moved to a secret location and sent her family out of town after receiving death threats from activists over her comments about transgender athletes.

“I have received death threats … I have had to have the police and the AFP involved,” Ms Deves said Sunday night.

“My family is away, out of Sydney. I don’t want to put their safety at risk,” she said.

In the interview with SBS, a cautious Ms Deves offered a carefully worded apology for her previous statements about the issue of transgender athletes.

“As a mother and a woman I recognise that the way I prosecuted those arguments was not conducive to proper, reasonable debate,” she said.

Warringah candidate Katherine Deves says she’s moved her family away out of fear for their safety. Picture: Jane Dempster/The Australian

The Community Action for Rainbow Rights group held a rally at The Corso in Manly to protest Deves’ endorsement despite anti-transgender tweets. Picture: Dana Pendrick

“I have been very chastened by this process.”

The five minute interview took place after multiple reports that Ms Deves was being gagged by moderates in the Liberal party, and did not see her asked about local issues or policy interests.

Ms Deves’ candidacy has been the subject of an extraordinary amount of controversy that has seen NSW Treasurer and fellow Liberal Matt Kean accused of “white-anting” her campaign.

Asked about whether she had any regrets about the way she had discussed transgender issues and activism in the past, Ms Deves accepted that things had not taken place in the “measured fashion” they should have.

“This is about women’s rights (and) with this issue we have a collision of rights and thus far the voices of women and girls have not been heard,” she said.

“When we have a collision of rights in liberal democracy we debate them in a reasonable, measured fashion and that’s what should have taken place here.”

Originally published as Controversial candidate Katherine Deves in hiding after alleged threats from trans activists