Liberal operatives plotting to end political career of defamed MP Moira Deeming

Liberal candidates are plotting to oust defamed MP Moira Deeming in a move set to reignite a factional war, with sources warning if she has nothing left to lose, the party better be careful.

Moves are afoot to end the political career of defamed MP Moira Deeming. Picture: Arsineh Houspian

Liberal operatives are plotting to end the political career of defamed MP Moira Deeming in a move set to reignite a major factional party war.

The Herald Sun has confirmed multiple candidates are preparing to challenge for Mrs Deeming’s No. 1 position on the Western Metropolitan upper house ticket when preselections begin shortly after the federal election.

A number of candidates are already courting support from the party’s moderate flank — who helped preselect Mrs Deeming from a field of nine candidates ahead of the 2022 election — with sources fearing the looming challenge would expose a deepening ideological divide within the party.

“Moira has lost the support of the faction that elected her,” one senior party source said.

“She doesn’t have the local numbers to secure preselection and she knows it.”

Moira Deeming leaves the Melbourne Federal Court amid her defamation battle against John Pesutto. Picture: Aaron Francis

It comes amid the ongoing legal battle between Mrs Deeming and former Opposition Leader John Pesutto who was last year found by the Federal Court to have defamed the MP in his effort to boot her from the party room after she attended a women’s rights rally in March 2023.

The ruling ultimately led to a successful leadership coup by current leader Brad Battin and has left Mr Pesutto facing the prospect of being forced to pay almost $2.4m in legal costs for Mrs Deeming.

The Federal Court is yet to make its final costs order, but it is understood a costs order against him would force Mr Pesutto into bankruptcy and trigger a by-election in his seat of Hawthorn.

Senior party officials have already started planning for that outcome, while federal and state Liberals remain furious the saga is has continued for more than two years.

John Pesutto. Picture: David Crosling

Some fear it will negatively impact the party’s prospects at next month’s federal election.

Sources close to Mrs Deeming said she had come under immense pressure in recent weeks to waive her right to seek costs for the good of the party.

“The last two years saw a full-on civil war within the party,” one source said.

“With the case being resolved and Battin as the new leader, nobody got everything they wanted but we have all moved on.

“The members are happy, the donors and volunteers have come back.

“We saw this in Prahran and Werribee and we are seeing it with the federal election, I don’t know why anyone who cared about the Liberal Party and defeating Labor would risk restarting the civil war, and putting off the membership and donors, in order to get payback.

“If Moira has got nothing left to lose, the Liberal Party better hope she doesn’t have any more dirt on them or their MPs.”

Originally published as Liberal operatives plotting to end political career of defamed MP Moira Deeming