In short:
The Victorian Liberals have officially disendorsed Moira Deeming as their Western Metropolitan candidate for the November state election, ending weeks of legal action and internal party turmoil. The move leaves uncertainty over whether the upper house MP will contest the election as an independent.
MP Removed From Liberal Ticket
Another turbulent chapter for the Victorian Liberals appears to be over, with the party disendorsing Moira Deeming as its upper house candidate for November’s state election.
Opposition leader Jess Wilson released a statement yesterday evening confirming that the party’s state executive had dumped Ms Deeming from the ticket.
“The state executive of the Victorian Liberal Party has resolved that Moira Deeming will no longer represent the Party as a candidate for the Western Metropolitan Region in November,” Ms Wilson said.
“This matter is now concluded. My singular focus remains on the issues that matter to Victorians and outlining our plan to deliver a fresh start this November.”
The decision follows weeks of drama, debate and legal action that erupted when it was revealed Ms Deeming had filed a police report involving former opposition leader Matthew Guy.
Ms Deeming reported the incident to police on 16 June, claiming Mr Guy assaulted her during a Macedonian community event in Sunshine on 23 May.
Deeming Maintains She Has Acted in Good Faith
Wyndham TV understands the allegation was that Mr Guy placed Ms Deeming in a form of headlock, a claim she has maintained was made in good faith.
Victoria Police later confirmed it had concluded its investigation, determining there was “no offence detected.”
Mr Guy publicly demanded Ms Deeming apologise for the allegation and the events that followed— a request backed by Ms Wilson.
The Western Metropolitan Region MP had been due to face the Liberal Party’s state executive on the evening of 3 July, with the meeting widely expected to determine whether she would be disendorsed.
The meeting was pushed back due to Ms Deeming getting an injunction in the Supreme Court.
She withdrew injunction, stating that it had achieved its purpose of giving her time to overcome jetlag, gather her thoughts and learn the distinction between a collar-tie grip and a headlock.
Ms Deeming has asserted that she never refused to apologise, but rather she refused to say she made a false police report or defamed Mr Guy.
Future Remains Unclear for MP and Voters
Friday’s decision marks the second time in less than four months the MP has been removed from the Liberal ticket.
In late March, party members preselected Dinesh Gourisetty ahead of Ms Deeming as the Liberal Party’s number one upper house candidate.
That decision quickly unravelled after it emerged Mr Gourisetty and Wyndham Mayor Preet Singh had each provided character references for a man later convicted of child sexual offences, triggering a crisis for the party.
Ms Deeming was expelled from the parliamentary Liberal Party in 2023 following a dispute over her attendance at a Melbourne rally, before successfully challenging the decision.
She was readmitted to the parliamentary party by then-opposition leader Brad Battin in 2024 after winning a defamation case against another former opposition leader in John Pesutto.
With a move to One Nation off the cards, it is unclear whether Ms Deeming will attempt re-election as an independent.
The end of the saga marks the continuation of the party’s struggle to convince voters in the west it can effectively govern the state.
Mr Guy was contacted.
