Victorian Liberal preselection challenge for Moira Deeming’s upper house seat
Consensus Summary
The Victorian Liberal Party has removed Moira Deeming from its upper house ticket for the western metropolitan region seat after a preselection vote on Sunday. Deeming, a polarizing figure within the party, was initially preselected in 2022 but faced a challenge from Dinesh Gourisetty, who won the top spot. Deeming’s political career has been marked by controversy, including her involvement in a 2023 rally gatecrashed by neo-Nazis, her defamation case against former leader John Pesutto, and her expulsion from the party room before returning after a leadership spill. Both sources confirm her defamation victory in December 2024 and her backing from high-profile conservatives like Tony Abbott and Peta Credlin. The vote followed allegations of irregularities in delegate selection, which Deeming raised with the party’s executive. While Deeming’s supporters speculate she may defect to One Nation, the Guardian dismisses this as a potential move. The preselection process reflects internal divisions within the party, with moderate factions gaining influence under president Philip Davis, as seen in the defeat of conservative powerbroker Bev McArthur’s challenger in western Victoria.
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Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Moira Deeming was preselected for the Victorian Liberal upper house ticket in 2022 for the western metropolitan region seat
- Deeming was expelled from the Liberal party room in 2023 after threatening defamation action against then-leader John Pesutto over comments about her involvement in the ‘Let Women Speak’ rally gatecrashed by neo-Nazis
- Deeming won a defamation case against Pesutto in December 2024, with the court ruling he defamed her by implying Nazi association
- Deeming returned to the Liberal party room after Pesutto lost the leadership in late 2024 following a spill
- Dinesh Gourisetty is the challenger for Deeming’s top spot in the western metropolitan region upper house ticket
- The Victorian Liberal preselection vote for Deeming’s seat took place on Sunday, with Gourisetty winning the top spot
- Deeming had backing from former PM Tony Abbott and media commentator Peta Credlin
- Jess Wilson, the current party leader, endorsed Deeming’s preselection but later voted for Gourisetty’s selection
- Deeming was appointed as the ‘leader’s representative to the western suburbs’ in 2024 under Brad Battin’s leadership
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Deeming offered to delay bankruptcy proceedings against Pesutto if the party bypassed its rules and guaranteed her preselection
- Deeming did not contest for other spots on the ballot
- Deeming was suspended from the parliamentary Liberal Party before being expelled
- Deeming’s defamation case against Pesutto was settled in December 2024, with Pesutto later facing bankruptcy
- Deeming attended the ‘Let Women Speak’ rally in 2023 and condemned neo-Nazi actions but defended her participation
- Deeming’s preselection was challenged by Dinesh Gourisetty and Trung Luu, with Gourisetty winning the top spot
- Deeming’s supporters speculate she may join One Nation if she loses the preselection
- Trung Luu and Tim Beddoe were also competing for the top spot alongside Gourisetty, with Luu and Beddoe nominated for the second spot
- Deeming complained to the party’s executive about alleged irregularities in delegate selection, including early voting and lack of ID checks
- The party’s executive committee was described as skewing more moderate under president Philip Davis
- Deeming was among four sitting conservative upper house MPs facing preselection challenges
- Deeming’s initial preselection in 2022 created controversy due to her views on abortion and transgender rights
- Deeming was expelled from the party room after threatening legal action against Pesutto for comments about her involvement in a neo-Nazi-gatecrashed rally
- Deeming was appointed as the ‘leader’s representative to the western suburbs’ under Brad Battin but the role was not continued under Jess Wilson
- About 70 people were expected to attend the vote, including delegates from western suburbs branches and a random pool of metropolitan Melbourne members
- Phones of attendees were confiscated during the vote, with the result expected at 3pm
- Bev McArthur survived a preselection challenge in western Victoria on Saturday, described as a ‘crushing blow’ to Philip Davis’ moderate grouping
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- ABC states Deeming did not contest for other spots on the ballot, but the Guardian implies she was competing for multiple positions
- ABC does not mention Trung Luu or Tim Beddoe as challengers for the top spot, while the Guardian lists them as competitors
- ABC reports Deeming’s supporters speculate she may join One Nation, but the Guardian states her supporters insist she was not contemplating this
- The Guardian describes the party’s executive committee as skewing more moderate under Philip Davis, while ABC does not mention this detail
- ABC states Deeming was suspended before being expelled, but the Guardian only mentions expulsion without mentioning suspension
Source Articles
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