The Victorian Liberal Party has again defended its preselection of a controversial anti-abortion candidate after a former Liberal MP quit the party over the decision.
Key Points:
- Moira Deeming was selected to replace Bernie Finn MP who was expelled from the Victoria Liberal Party
- Fromer MP Andrew Elsbury left the party on Wednesday, saying his views no longer aligned with those of the party.
- Opposition Leader Matthew Guy says he is not concerned by Ms Deeming’s previous comments
Moira Deeming was last week elected to replace outspoken MP Bernie Finn and stand for the Upper House Western Metropolitan Region seat at the November state election.
Mrs. Deeming, councilor of Melton Town Council, has previously sought to have separate bathrooms for transgender people.
He has also vocally opposed the COVID-19 mandates on social media and accused Premier Daniel Andrews of “trampling” on Victorians’ rights during the pandemic.
A former Liberal MP for the Western Metropolitan constituency, Andrew Elsbury, left the party on Wednesday.
He said his views no longer aligned with the party.
Moira Deeming was elected last week to replace outspoken MP Bernie Finn. (Town of Melton)
Opposition Leader Matthew Guy said on Friday he was not concerned about comments Ms Deeming made ahead of her state pre-selection.
“I’m not interested in the comments she’s made in the past. I’m interested in what she’s doing as a candidate,” she said.
“She is a councilor in the west, [who has] I’ve done a lot of strategic planning work in Melton so I’m focused on the future and I’m focused on making sure the west is well represented.”
Ms Deeming recently introduced motions to council relating to single-sex bathrooms in March.
He told a council meeting last year: “It is not discrimination to deny men of any gender identity those services and spaces designed exclusively for the female sex such as toilets and changing rooms.”
Guy was speaking at an announcement about an election promise for a new stadium in the western metropolitan region and deflected questions about Ms Deeming’s absence.
“I’ve had other functions where we’ve had media events and I haven’t had Upper House candidates with me,” he said.
“No conspiracy theories, I don’t hide UFOs in the basement.”
Earlier this year, the Liberal Party’s management committee passed over Ms Deeming for pre-selection for the federal seat of Gordon, out of concern that her views could be a distraction to the election campaign of former Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
A former Liberal staffer told the ABC on Friday that Ms Deeming’s comments were similar to those made by former federal Liberal candidate for Warringah, Katherine Deves.
Staff described Ms Deeming’s shortlisting in Victoria as “Katherine Deves 2.0”.
The state government condemns preselection
Danny Pearson, housing minister and state member for Essendon in Melbourne’s west, says the transphobic comments are unacceptable. (ABC News)
Housing Minister Danny Pearson said the Opposition Leader missed an opportunity to make Ms Deeming’s remarks.
If you or someone you know needs help:
“He [Mr Guy] chose to remain silent when their candidate has made some appalling comments that are profoundly transphobic and against women’s rights,” she said.
“Trans children are 15 times more likely to attempt suicide in Victoria… Can’t he see that these comments are causing enormous distress to the trans community and their loved ones?”
He asked why the party would remove Mr Finn to replace him with Ms Deeming.
Finn, who has been an MP for almost four decades, was kicked out of the Liberal Party in May after posting inflammatory content on social media about abortion rights.