UN official ‘seriously concerned’ by Liberal Party’s treatment of Moira Deeming

A leading UN official has expressed ‘serious concerns’ about the treatment of expelled Victorian Liberal MP Moira Deeming,

Expelled Liberal MP Moira Deeming. Picture: Arsineh Houspian.

A leading UN official has expressed “serious concerns” about the treatment of expelled Victorian Liberal MP Moira Deeming, warning in a letter to Australia’s Mission to the UN that she believed it was part of a wider global trend of “intimidation and threats against women and girls” who expressed views on sex-based rights.

In her 10-page letter published online late on Wednesday, UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls Reem Alsalem detailed what she understands of Ms Deeming’s situation since the MP was expelled after attending a “Let Women Speak” rally last year that was gatecrashed by neo-Nazis.

In a case set down for a management hearing in the Federal Court next week, Ms Deeming is suing Victorian Opposition Leader John Pesutto for defamation, alleging that he had he portrayed her as a Nazi sympathiser in ­making the case for her to be expelled from the Liberal Party.

“While I do not want to prejudge the accuracy of these alle­gations, I express serious concerns that Ms Deeming appears to have been presented with a motion to dismiss her from the (Liberal Party) based on accusations that do not appear to have been properly or fairly investi­gated and where due process does not seem to have been ­applied,” Ms Alsalem wrote.

“Ms Deeming was presented as a racist and white supremacist who supports neo-Nazi ideology without giving her a reasonable opportunity to refute these allegations or defend herself, harming her reputation and creating a lot of distress and risks for her and her family.

“The events that Ms Deeming has been subjected to appear to be part of a wider trend in many countries, including those in the Global North, for which I expressed my concern in a statement on 22 May, 2023, highlighting ‘the escalation of intimidation and threats against women and girls for expressing their opinions and beliefs regarding their needs and rights based on sex and/or sexual orientation’.

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

“More specifically,” Ms Alsalem wrote, “I also note with concern the frequent tactic of smearing women, girls and their allies who hold lawful and protected beliefs on non-discrimination based on sex and same-sex attraction as ‘Nazis’, ‘genocidaires’ and ’extremists’ to intimidate women, instil fear into them and shame them into silence.

“The experience of Ms Deeming fits the identified pattern.”

The March 18 “Let Women Speak” rally was organised by UK women’s rights activist Kellie-Jay Keen and her group Standing for Women UK to protest against what Ms Deeming, Ms Keen and their fellow protesters see as the infringement of transgender self-identification laws upon the rights of women and children.

Ms Alsalem said Ms Deeming’s alleged treatment gave her cause for concern about the capacity of the MP and other women who are visible in public life “to express their views on women’s rights, including opinions on the rights based on biological sex.”

“The public ‘naming and shaming’ she experienced, to which (Mr Pesutto) reportedly contributed, will result in other women in politics, who may have gender-identity critical views similar to those of Ms Deeming or hold similar beliefs on the importance of biological sex in determining the needs and rights of women, refraining from voicing their beliefs,” she said.

Ms Alsalem asked Australia’s Mission to the UN for an explanation of measures the federal government will take “to allow women to express themselves without intimidation or fear on issues of sex, gender and gender identity as well as exercise their freedom of assembly and association.”

Moira Deeming is seen leaving the March Victorian Liberal partyroom meeting at which MPs voted to suspend her.Picture: NCA NewsWire / Luis Ascui

In a letter of response, also published online, Australian Deputy Head of Mission to the United Nations Emily Roper said Ms Deeming’s expulsion was a “political party matter”, and that states and territories had defamation laws enabling those with a cause of action to pursue proceedings.

“The government cannot comment on individual legal proceedings,” Ambassador Roper said.

She detailed $2.3bn in spending on women’s safety in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 federal budgets, and said the government was “committed to protecting the rights and freedoms that underpin Australia’s liberal democracy, including freedom of assembly and freedom of association.”

Moira Deeming lodges statement of claim against John Pesutto Victoria MP Moira Deeming has lodged a statement of claim against Victorian Liberal leader John Pesutto in the Federal Court. In the statement of claim obtained by Sky News Australia, Ms Deeming is seeking damages, and aggravated damages over a media release, dossier and actions which she claims “gravely injured her in her reputation”.