Georgie Crozier takes swipe at Moira Deeming for missing parliament for Jordan Peterson conference

A senior Liberal has taken a swipe at Moira Deeming for missing parliament to attend a conference led by Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson, saying “the rest of the Liberal team are getting on with what they need to do”.

A senior Liberal has taken a swipe at her newly reinstated party colleague Moira Deeming for jetting off to London to attend a conference led by renowned Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson.

Mrs Deeming will miss parliament next week to attend the exclusive London Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (ARC) conference alongside federal coalition frontbencher Bridget McKenzie.

Her absence from the chamber appears to have ruffled feathers within the party, with former opposition upper house leader Georgie Crozier having a subtle dig at the reinstated Liberal on Wednesday.

Former opposition upper house leader Georgie Crozier took a subtle dig at Moira Deeming. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Pressed over whether it was appropriate that Mrs Deeming was missing the sitting week to attend the event, Ms Crozier said the party’s “expectation is that you attend parliament”.

“It is a privilege to have this position … and you need to be in parliament to prosecute a case for your party,” she said.

“So, I think it’s up to Mrs Deeming why she’s made that decision.

“But I would say the rest of the Liberal team are getting on with what they need to do.”

An opposition spokesperson said Mrs Deeming had booked the trip prior to rejoining the Liberal Party last year, when she was sitting on the crossbench as a Liberal independent.

Moira Deeming’s absence from the chamber appears to have ruffled feathers within the party. Picture: Ian Currie

The conservative MP has organised an arrangement known as a pair where two members from opposing sides don’t vote so that one or both can be absent without impacting the result of the vote.

“This will be the first time I’ve ever missed a sitting day of parliament and is due to both personal and professional reasons,” she said.

Former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott will be among the speakers at the event, which is described as a gathering of the “world’s leading thinkers, business leaders, policy makers, and culture formers to interrogate some of today’s most important social, economic, cultural, and moral questions”.

Sky News Australia presenters Peta Credlin and Chris Uhlmann are also listed as contributors.

Mrs Deeming was accepted back into the Liberal Party over the Christmas period after more than 18 months in exile following her successful defamation battle against former opposition leader John Pesutto.

Federal Coalition frontbencher Bridget McKenzie will also attend the event in London. Picture: Martin Ollman

An initial vote over her readmittance in December had split the party 14-14, with Mr Pesutto casting the deciding vote to keep her out.

But he quickly changed his tune as his leadership came under threat, calling another vote, which ultimately led to both her readmittance and a vote to oust Mr Pesutto as leader and replace him with Brad Battin.

Ms Crozier, who was a key ally of Mr Pesutto, was known to have voted against Mrs Deeming’s return to the party.

An opposition spokesman said: “Just like any other member of the team — future travel plans will need to be in keeping with parliamentary commitments and subject to consultation with the leadership”.

Originally published as Georgie Crozier takes swipe at Moira Deeming for missing parliament for Jordan Peterson conference