Victorian Liberal Party preselection battle removes Moira Deeming from upper house ticket
Consensus Summary
Moira Deeming, a controversial Victorian upper house MP, lost her Liberal Party preselection for the Western Metropolitan Region seat in a vote held on Sunday. Dinesh Gourisetty won the top spot with 39 votes, replacing Deeming who received 26 votes, while Trung Luu took the third spot with 3 votes. Deemingâs political career has been marked by controversy, including her attendance at a 2023 anti-trans rally gatecrashed by neo-Nazis, her defamation case against former leader John Pesutto, and her expulsion from the party room before being readmitted. Despite backing from high-profile conservatives like Tony Abbott and Peta Credlin, Deemingâs preselection was challenged due to internal party divisions and a shift toward more moderate candidates under leader Jess Wilson. The vote followed allegations of irregularities in delegate selection, which Deeming raised but were dismissed by the party executive. With her preselection lost, speculation has arisen about Deeming potentially defecting to minor parties like One Nation or the Libertarians, though she has not confirmed this. The Western Metropolitan Region is a critical battleground for the November 2025 election, and the Liberal Party expects to retain its upper house presence despite the shakeup. The preselection process also highlighted internal party tensions, with some members viewing Deemingâs loss as an opportunity to reset the partyâs direction.
â Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Moira Deeming lost Liberal preselection for the Western Metropolitan Region upper house seat in a vote held on Sunday, 2025
- Dinesh Gourisetty won the top spot in the Western Metropolitan Region preselection with 39 votes, replacing Deeming
- Moira Deeming received 26 votes in the preselection vote, while Trung Luu received 3 votes
- Deeming was expelled from the Liberal Party room in 2023 after threatening defamation action against then-leader John Pesutto over Nazi rally allegations
- Deeming won a defamation case against Pesutto in December 2024, leading to his leadership loss in late 2024
- Deeming attended the 2023 'Let Women Speak' rally gatecrashed by neo-Nazis and later condemned their actions but defended her participation
- Jess Wilson, current Liberal leader, endorsed Deemingâs preselection candidacy and has written endorsements for all sitting MPs facing challenges
- The preselection vote took place at Liberal Party headquarters on Collins Street, Melbourne, with delegates voting around 3pm
- Deeming was elected to the Victorian upper house in 2022
- One Nation state president Warren Pickering expressed openness to discussions with Deeming if she considers defecting
- The Western Metropolitan Region is a key battleground for the November 2025 state election
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Deeming offered to delay bankruptcy proceedings against Pesutto in 2024 if the party guaranteed her preselection
- Deeming did not contest for other spots on the ballot and did not speak to media before or after the vote
- Deeming had the backing of Tony Abbott, Peta Credlin, and Nyunggai Warren Mundine
- Deeming was suspended from the parliamentary Liberal Party before being expelled after threatening defamation action
- Deemingâs defamation case against Pesutto was successful, with the court finding he defamed her by implying Nazi association
- Four delegates had their voting rights stripped in the days leading up to the preselection, citing constitutional justifications
- Deeming was appointed as the 'leaderâs representative to the western suburbs' under Brad Battin but the role was not continued under Jess Wilson
- Deemingâs supporters allege irregularities in delegate selection, including early voting and lack of ID checks, but the executive rejected her request to invalidate ballots
- Deeming walked out of party headquarters immediately after her loss with her husband, Andrew, and declined to comment
- One party member hoped Deemingâs loss was a 'line in the sand' and an opportunity to reset the party
- Liberals expect to easily re-elect two MPs in the region due to Laborâs waning popularity after three terms
- The legitimacy of branch meetings for delegate elections had faced challenges prior to the preselection
- Gourisetty had donated to Pesuttoâs legal fund during his defamation case
- Wyndham Council fined Gourisetty in 2019 for rat faeces, grease, oil, and grime found in his kitchen and storage
- Deemingâs supporters suggested she might defect to One Nation, with one saying 'she could unload on Pesutto'
- The final vote tally was not publicly released, with other media reporting a slightly different breakdown
- Deeming complained to the partyâs executive about irregularities in delegate selection, including early voting and ineligible members voting
- Deemianâs concerns about branch votes are 'laying the groundwork' for a potential defection, according to a senior Liberal source
- Deeming was among four sitting conservative upper house MPs whose preselections were challenged
- Deemingâs initial preselection in 2022 created controversy due to her views on abortion and transgender rights
- Deeming was appointed as the 'leaderâs representative to the western suburbs' under Brad Battin but the role was not continued under Jess Wilson
- Phones of attendees at the vote were confiscated, and the final result was expected at about 3pm
- Bev McArthur survived a challenge by Trent Sullivan on Saturday, described as a 'crushing blow' to Philip Davisâ moderate grouping
- Deemingâs supporters insist she was not contemplating a defection to One Nation, despite internal discussions
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- ABC reports Deeming received 26 votes and Luu received 3, while The Age states the final breakdown is not publicly released and other media report a slightly different tally
- The Guardian mentions Deeming was among four sitting conservative upper house MPs whose preselections were challenged, but ABC and The Age do not specify this number
- ABC states Deeming was expelled from the party room in 2023 after threatening defamation action, while The Age and Guardian clarify she was suspended first before expulsion
- The Guardian says Deemingâs concerns about branch votes are 'laying the groundwork' for a potential defection, but The Age states her supporters suggest she might defect to One Nation
- The Age reports Deeming walked out immediately after the vote, while ABC does not mention her leaving the headquarters
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