In short:
Victorian Liberal MP Moira Deeming will face the party’s state executive on Friday as officials decide whether she remains the Liberal candidate for Western Metropolitan. The decision follows an explosive week of political controversy and could reshape both her future and the Liberal Party’s campaign ahead of the 2026 state election.
Party Will Decide on Deeming's Future
Moira Deeming’s future in the Liberal Party will be decided on Friday, with the Western Metropolitan MP set to front the party’s state executive as speculation mounts she could again lose her place on the Victorian election ticket.
The upper house MP is expected to defend her position before party officials, who will determine whether she remains the Liberal Party’s candidate for Western Metropolitan Region at the 2026 Victorian election.
While the outcome will not be known until Friday evening, political commentators have widely speculated Ms Deeming could be removed as the party’s lead upper house candidate.
The high-stakes meeting follows one of the most turbulent weeks in Victorian Liberal politics in recent memory.
The controversy began after it emerged Ms Deeming had made a report to Victoria Police alleging former Opposition Leader Matthew Guy placed her in a headlock during an event in May.
Police took no further action after reviewing CCTV footage provided to investigators.
Apology Requested and Denied
Mr Guy has strongly denied the allegation, describing it as false, and publicly demanded an apology from Ms Deeming.
His call was backed by Opposition Leader Jess Wilson, while Premier Jacinta Allan and Attorney-General Sonya Kilkenny also commented publicly on the matter during the week.
Speaking through her lawyer, Ms Deeming declined to apologise, maintaining her report to police was made truthfully and in good faith.
Friday’s meeting could also mark the second time in just over three months that Ms Deeming has been removed from the Liberal Party’s preferred position in Western Metropolitan.
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 fresh internal crisis for the party.
The latest developments add another chapter to Ms Deeming’s turbulent relationship with the Victorian Liberals.
Plenty at Stake For All Camps
She 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 in 2024 after reaching a settlement with then-opposition leader John Pesutto.
Should Ms Deeming lose Friday’s vote, questions are likely to intensify over her political future.
There has already been speculation among political observers about whether she could continue her parliamentary career outside the Liberal Party, including potentially joining One Nation.
However, no such move has been announced, and there are differing views within conservative political circles over whether such an outcome is likely or desirable.
With preselection battles, leadership tensions and public infighting dominating headlines, Friday’s decision is expected to be a defining moment for both Ms Deeming and the Victorian Liberal Party as it prepares for the November state election.
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