Liberal women’s committee condemns John Pesutto’s expulsion of Moira Deeming, demanding he apologise

Party’s Federal Women’s Committee condemn Victorian leader John Pesutto, saying his expulsion of Deeming for attending a women’s rally was ‘without basis’.

Expelled Liberal MP Moira Deeming. Photograph by Arsineh Houspian.

The Liberal Party’s Federal Women’s Committee has passed a motion expressing concern at the actions of John Pesutto and his Victorian leadership team in relation to expelled MP Moira Deeming, and demanding he apologise and reinstate her.

The motion was carried on Friday morning with the support of the Queensland and WA women’s committee presidents, but was opposed by those in NSW and Victoria.

It states that Mrs Deeming’s expulsion was “without basis”.

“Women have a right to participate in the political process without fear of cancellation,” the motion reads.

“The silencing of women has no place in the Liberal Party. The Federal Women’s Committee demands the immediate reinstatement of The Honourable Member Moira Deeming MLC and a full apology from Opposition Leader John Pesutto.”

Moira Deeming is seen leaving the March Liberal party room meeting at which she was suspended. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Luis Ascui

Mrs Deeming was last month expelled from the parliamentary Liberal Party after speaking at a March “Let Women Speak” rally that was gatecrashed by neo-Nazis.

The protest was organised by British feminist activist Kellie-Jay Keen’s group Standing for Women UK, which campaigns against what its supporters see as the infringement of transgender rights upon those of women and children.

Transgender rights activists held a counter-protest, and a third group, of masked men dressed in black, taunted the transgender protesters and performed the Nazi salute on the steps of state parliament.

Mr Pesutto initially attempted to expel Mrs Deeming in March, but was forced to resort to suspending her for nine months amid a lack of support from colleagues.

In seeking to make the case against Mrs Deeming, Mr Pesutto circulated a 15-page dossier of social media screenshots and media reports — mostly relating to Ms Keen — accusing the MP of “organising, promoting and participating in a rally with speakers and other organisers who themselves have been publicly associated with far right-wing extremist groups including neo-Nazi activists.”

John Pesutto gives a media conference following the May party room meeting at which Mrs Deeming was expelled. Picture: NCA NewsWire /Luis Enrique Ascui

Mrs Deeming’s anger at what she regards as an unfair public shaming culminated last month in her giving notice that she would be suing Mr Pesutto for defamation, alleging the Opposition Leader accused her of being a “Nazi sympathiser and Nazi associate”, and used that as a basis to “threaten and bully” her.

Having subsequently been expelled from the parliamentary party in May after a second expulsion motion was moved against her, Mrs Deeming has since issued two more defamation concerns notices.

The Australian understands she has made a decision not to file her Federal Court case against Mr Pesutto until after the Warrandyte by-election, so as not to be accused of damaging the Liberal Party’s prospects in the seat being vacated by retiring MP Ryan Smith, who holds a 4.2 per cent margin.

Liberal Party members are set to meet on Sunday to preselect a candidate to run in the by-election, which is expected to take place in August or September, after Mr Smith retires on July 7.

Mr Pesutto faced a walkout from angry Liberal Party members at last month’s Liberal state council meeting and has variously been condemned for his treatment of Mrs Deeming by the United Nations special rapporteur on violence against women and girls, former Prime Minister John Howard, and a transgender Victorian councillor.

Mrs Deeming said she, her husband and their four children had “suffered unjustly” as a result of her attendance at the “Let Women Speak” rally.

“(We) are extremely grateful to the Federl Liberal Women’s Committee for their public show of support,” Mrs Deeming said.

Mr Pesutto’s office declined to comment.