Moira Deeming backers claim motion to expel her is invalid, as showdown with John Pesutto looms

Moira Deeming’s backers say the issue could force the party to delay its vote on her future, as supporters of the motion accuse them of ‘clutching at straws’.

Moira Deeming is seen leaving the Victorian Liberal MPs meeting to vote on leader John Pesutto's bid to expel her. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Luis Ascui

Supporters of suspended Victorian Liberal MP Moira Deeming are disputing the validity of the motion to expel her at a partyroom meeting scheduled for Friday, claiming it breaches the state party constitution.

MPs and other Liberals backing Ms Deeming have cited the lack of physical signatures on the motion, and its failure to provide evidence for her alleged offences against the party, in arguing that any meeting held on Friday will be invalid.

The motion was emailed to party members on Saturday, and contained the names of frontbenchers James Newbury, Cindy McLeish and Roma Britnell, former leader Matthew Guy, and newly-elected MP Wayne Farnham as signatories.

It states:

“We write to request that a Special Meeting of the Victorian Parliamentary Liberal Party be held on Friday 12 May 2023 and give notice of our intention to move the following motion at that meeting:

‘That the Victorian Parliamentary Liberal Party expels Moira Deeming.’ 

The reason for the motion is that Moira Deeming has engaged in conduct in violation of Clause 57, bringing discredit on the Parliamentary Party,” the motion states.

In contrast with the unsuccessful expulsion motion moved by Opposition Leader John Pesutto in March, which ultimately resulted in Ms Deeming’s suspension, the new, one page motion does not explain how Ms Deeming has allegedly brought discredit on the party.

Moira Deeming and John Pesutto. Picture: Facebook

Mr Pesutto’s March motion set out Ms Deeming’s alleged offences over two pages, and contained the physical signatures of the Liberal leader, his deputy David Southwick, upper house leader Georgie Crozier and her deputy Matt Bach.

It also contained a 15-page annexure of social media screenshots and media reports seeking to make a guilt-by-association case that activists Kellie-Jay Keen and Angie Jones — with whom Ms Deeming had shared a stage at a “Let Women Speak” rally — were associated with Nazis.

Both women dispute that claim, and have distanced themselves from a group of neo-Nazis who gatecrashed the rally and taunted transgender activists holding a counter-protest against Let Women Speak.

The Victorian Liberal Party constitution states that, “Notice of motion to expel a member shall specify the reasons for such proposed expulsion and shall be signed by the leader of deputy leader or any five members of the parliamentary party.”

It also requires the MP facing the expulsion motion to be given at least five days’ notice of the meeting.

Ms Deeming’s supporters argue this means the motion needs to be redrafted and the meeting rescheduled for next week, if it is to be valid.

“They are so inept they can’t follow their own rules,” one Deeming supporter told The Australian.

Victorian Liberal leader John Pesutto. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Luis Ascui

A senior Liberal who backs the motion said the reason for Ms Deeming’s expulsion was contained within it, and that any suggestion that an email signature was not a signature was “frankly laughable”.

“This shows how desperate they are. They realise that over two thirds of the partyroom are going to vote in support (of expelling Ms Deeming), and they’ve started clutching at straws,” the front bench MP said.

MPs began canvassing support for a second expulsion motion last Thursday, after Ms Deeming emailed colleagues telling them she had advised her lawyers to “prepare a legal challenge” over her nine-month suspension from the party.

Hours before the motion was circulated on Saturday, Ms Deeming issued a statement claiming she had “never once considered suing the Liberal Party”.

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