Victorian Liberal leader John Pesutto’s bid to expel anti-trans MP Moira Deeming splits Libs
The Victorian Liberal Party has split over moves to expel upper-house member Moira Deeming, with a significant group of MPs voting to halt leader John Pesutto’s plans to dump her from the partyroom.
The Victorian Liberal Party has split over moves to expel upper-house member Moira Deeming, with a significant group of MPs voting to halt Opposition Leader John Pesutto’s plans to dump her from the partyroom.
Mr Pesutto has gambled his leadership authority on expelling Ms Deeming from the parliamentary party after she supported controversial British anti-trans campaigner Kellie-Jay Keen. The anti-Pesutto forces on Tuesday moved to delay a partyroom meeting to expel Ms Deeming but failed, by 18 votes to 11.
A further two votes, one a confirmed Pesutto vote, are expected to be included next week when the ballot to expel Ms Deeming is held.
Senior Liberal sources expected Mr Pesutto to win the votes.
Liberal MP for Warrandyte Ryan Smith told the ABC people were uncomfortable with the move to expel her.
“I guess the next few days will be the opportunity for the leadership team to change my view on that,” he said.
A vote of at least a dozen against Mr Pesutto will be an embarrassment but victory could also strengthen his position to market the Liberal Party in inner-city seats where it has become increasingly vulnerable.
Several Liberal MPs told The Australian there was frustration that Ms Deeming had not followed advice on how to manage herself while a parliamentarian. “It’s all about Moira and not the party,” one MP said.
Click here to read the letter in full
Mr Pesutto released a 15-page letter he sent to Ms Deeming explaining why she should be dumped from the party, alleging she associated with people who expressed far-right views and shared a platform with an activist he claims advocated for a “white ethno state”.
Mr Pesutto says Ms Deeming shared a platform with anti-trans rights campaigner Mrs Keen even though, he says, Mrs Keen “was known to be publicly associated with far-right extremist groups including neo-Nazi activists”. Mrs Keen on Tuesday stridently denied she was linked to neo-Nazis or the far right.
Ms Deeming helped organise and attended the weekend protest led by Mrs Keen on the steps of parliament, which was later attended by about 30 neo-Nazis. Ms Deeming says she had no idea they were turning up and vowed to fight attempts to expel her.
Mr Pesutto also alleges that on March 19 Ms Deeming met with and published a video with Mrs Keen, former NSW federal Liberal candidate Katherine Deves and activist Angie Jones.
He alleges Ms Jones posted on Twitter on the same day: “Nazis and women want to get rid of paedo filth. Why don’t you.’’
Part of Mr Pesutto’s case is that Ms Deeming organised the rally on the steps of parliament without taking into consideration Mrs Keen’s background. He is furious Ms Deeming attended the rally.
Mrs Keen has said she would not sue the Liberal leader.
The rally was ambushed by neo-Nazis and Ms Deeming is accused by colleagues of failing to condemn the presence of the fascists at the time and later that day.
In as interview after the rally, she expressed surprise neo-Nazis had turned up.
The neo-Nazi presence has sparked a push for a national ban on the Nazi salute.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said on Monday he was open to banning the Nazi salute, just hours after the Victorian government moved to do so.
Victorian Premier Dan Andrews blasted the Liberal Party’s involvement in the rally. “I wish it didn’t have to be said, but clearly it does: Nazis aren’t welcome. Not on parliament’s steps. Not anywhere,” he said on Twitter.
“They were there to say the trans community don’t deserve rights, safety or dignity … their evil ideology is to scapegoat minorities – and it’s got no place here.”
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