New leaked emailed reveals civil war over Liberal candidate Katherine Deves

Scott Morrison is under intense pressure to dump a Liberal candidate with a new leaked email revealing the civil war inside the party.

Scott Morrison is under intense pressure to dump a Liberal candidate who says transgender teenagers are being “surgically mutilated” with a new leaked email revealing the civil war inside the party.

NSW Treasurer Matt Kean took the extraordinary step on Friday night of demanding the Prime Minister dump Liberal candidate for Warringah Katherine Deves over her “horrendous” views.

He told news.com.au that the Prime Minister must disendorse her as a candidate.

“This is not an intolerant society,” he said

“These kinds of horrendous views are not okay, and I’m sure the voters of Warringah agree. Time for the Liberal Party to beat them to it and disendorse her.”

“There is no place in a mainstream political party for bigotry,’’ Mr Kean added.

“Coming out as transgender would be hugely challenging, especially for kids, and political leaders should be condemning the persecution of people based on their gender, not participating in it.”

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Katherine Deves, a candidate for Liberal preselection in the federal electorate of Warringah. Picture: Supplied

His intervention followed calls by former Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s to end the “pile on” of a “brave woman.”

But a leaked email obtained by news.com.au from Condamine Liberal Party branch president Walter Villatora has voiced fury about the candidate for Warringah.

“I’m sorry Jeff, presidents and many members are calling for Ms Deves resignation in light of her hurtful and divisive comments that have proliferated the media,” he wrote.

“Particularly in the last few days, focusing on Nazis, sex offenders and the physical mutilation of young people.

“In fact Senator Bragg, the duty Senator for Warringah has publicly voiced his concerns on focusing on these matters instead of what’s important to the community and the Australian people at a time when major challenges are facing everyone particularly in relation to the cost of living, national security and post pandemic and flood recovery.

“Whilst this is happening, and we in fact still haven’t launched the campaign with weeks to go, the Steggall campaign is in full swing starting with a massive launch. Zali has two offices in the electorate and we have closed our only office just as our campaign should of commenced!”

Treasurer and Minister for Energy Matt Kean. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Damian Shaw

Mr Villatora urged the party to run dead in Warringah and focus on the electorate of Bennelong.

“The view of many experienced members is that we would suffer less of a loss without a candidate than a candidate that has brought the party into disrepute to this extent. Steggall and the media will not let this go,” he said.

“This controversy is hurting the Prime Minister (who is now distancing himself from the controversy) and impacting on our federal electoral prospects, which should be our priority.

“In fact, my members have asked me to contact the conference president, Lee Furlong, to call for Ms Deves resignation which I have done in writing, I’m awaiting a response.

“I have many concerns with the way the party is perceived in Warringah now, I am also concerned that your proposed meeting will reflect poorly on the Seaforth Branch, one of our most highly regarded branches.

“Many members have asked me to suggest and alternative campaign.

“It has also been suggested that we take a strategic view and not focus on a seat we cannot win but focus on a seat that we must and can win – Bennelong.”

News.com.au broke the story on Wednesday that Ms Deves had deleted her Twitter account after becoming a candidate.

But a search of archived posts revealed she had suggested trans children were surgically mutilated and that she found the rainbow Pride flag “triggering”.

She later issued a public apology.

Mr Abbott, the former member for Warringah, who was booted out of Parliament at the 2019 election by Independent Zali Stegall, has backed the embattled candidate after revelations she compared her campaign against trans women playing sport to the Nazi resistance.

“She’s a tough, brave person who’s standing up for the rights of women and girls, for fairness in sport,” Mr Abbott told The Sydney Morning Herald.

“I very much admire her and can’t understand the pile on from people who claim to be supporters of women’s rights.”

Furious Liberals have insisted the Prime Minister must have known the candidates’ controversial views that have exploded as a campaign issue because she was vetted by the Liberal Party’s strict nomination review committee.

The Prime Minister has a representative on that committee – the man recently described by a Liberal senator as his “consigliere” Immigration Minister Alex Hawke.

“He promptly threw his captain’s pick under a bus, saying he was “unaware” of the history of offensive comments by Deves including her labelling of trans kids as “surgically mutilated”,’’ a Liberal source said.

Originally published as New leaked emailed reveals civil war over Liberal candidate Katherine Deves