Moira Deeming
MLC
Member of the Victorian Legislative Council for Western Metropolitan Region
Assumed office
26 November 2022
Member of the Melton City Council
Assumed office
5 November 2020
ConstituencyWatts Ward
Personal details
Political partyIndependent Liberal (since 2023)[1]
Other political
affiliations		Liberal[lower-alpha 1]
Children4
Occupation
  • Politician

Moira Deeming is an Australian politician. She is a former member of the parliamentary Liberal Party and is currently an Independent Liberal member of the Victorian Legislative Council, representing the Western Metropolitan Region since November 2022. She was previously a councillor for the Melton City Council representing the Watts Ward.[3]

On 27 March 2023, she was suspended from the parliamentary Liberal Party for nine months. A week earlier, it had been announced by the leader of the opposition, John Pesutto, that he would move to have her expelled from the parliamentary Liberal Party after she spoke at an anti-trans rally outside the Victorian Parliament.[4][5] The rally was attended by neo-Nazi groups who repeatedly performed Nazi salutes from the steps of Parliament.[6] She was expelled from the parliamentary party room on 12 May 2023.[7][8]

Early life and education

Deeming was "born and bred on the political left coming from a long line of union leaders, card-carrying Labor Party members, and Labor MPs."[9] Her great-grandfather was John Joseph Holland, a western suburbs Labor MP for over thirty-five years as well as a councillor for the city of Melbourne. [10]

Deeming has a Bachelor of International Relations from La Trobe University and a Post-Graduate Diploma of Education from the University of Melbourne.[11] She previously worked as a teacher for over a decade.[3]

Political views

Deeming described the anti-bullying and inclusion program Safe Schools as "sleazy".[12] In 2020 she described the "watch and wait" approach for treating gender dysphoria as "highly successful, low risk"[13]—in line with the Liberal Party's statement that while they oppose conversion therapy, the Andrews' government legislation "allows government interference in the relationships between medical professionals and patients," and "unfairly targets psychiatry and psychotherapy specifically".[14]

On 18 March 2023, Deeming spoke at an anti-trans rally, which was part of anti-transgender rights activist Kellie Jay Keen's speaking tour.[15]

She is anti-abortion and believes that laws legalising abortion need to be repealed,[16][17] and believes that rape victims should reject abortions and turn to God and to the church instead.[18] She is against voluntary euthanasia.[17]

Deeming is against the COVID-19 vaccine mandates, and considers vaccine passports "immoral" and a form of "segregation".[19] As of September 2021 she said in an interview that she was unvaccinated, and that she'll be "waiting" and that she is "reserving her judgement" due to "concerns".[20]

Deeming is against changing the date of Australia Day.[21] She is a member of the conservative think-tank Institute of Public Affairs.[22]

Political career

2014 Victorian state election

Deeming stood as a candidate for the Liberal Party in the lower house for the seat of St Albans at the 2014 Victorian state election. She secured 26.9% of the vote, losing to the Labor Party's Natalie Suleyman.[23]

2018 Victorian state election

In 2018 at the state election Deeming stood as a candidate for the Liberal Party for the upper house Western Metropolitan Region seat in the Victorian Legislative Council. She received 356 first preference votes (0.08%) and failed to gain a seat.[24]

2020 Melton local election

Deeming stood as a candidate for Watts Ward at the 2020 Melton local election on 24 October, receiving 21.49% of the primary vote and successfully securing the second allocation.[25][26]

2022 Federal election

Following the 2022 Australian federal election, it was reported in The Age that on 26 March the Victorian Liberal Party's administrative committee voted for Deeming to run in the lower house seat of Gorton.[27] Before she was able to be endorsed, a top party official relayed the view of Scott Morrison's Office that "negative media coverage of Deeming's hardline social views could distract" from Morrison's campaign.[27] Reportedly, another vote was held and a different candidate was picked.[27]

2022 Victorian state election

On 23 July, Deeming was endorsed by the Liberal Party to contest the upper house Western Metropolitan Region seat in the Victorian Legislative Council to replace Bernie Finn at the Victorian state election.[21]

Deeming's preselection was considered controversial because she replaced the similarly right-wing Bernie Finn at the top of the Liberal ticket, following Finn's expulsion from the Liberal Party after making "inflammatory social media posts".[28] Finn, who contested the election as a Democratic Labour Party candidate, was reported to be "delighted" at Deeming's preselection.[29] Andrew Elsbury, a moderate Liberal Party member who held the seat from 2010–2014 quit the party in response to her preselection, describing it as the "final straw".[30] Deeming was successfully elected to the Legislative Council.

In Deeming's maiden speech before parliament, she criticised critical social justice in school curriculums and the "decriminalisation of sex work".[31]

Anti-trans rally

On 18 March 2023, Deeming spoke at an anti-trans rally, organised by Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, in Melbourne which was also attended by the neo-Nazi group National Socialist Network (NSN) and its leader Thomas Sewell as well as Nathan Bull, a neo-Nazi son of a police officer.[32][8] The neo-Nazis repeatedly engaged in Nazi salutes and carried far-right extremist banners (including one that compared transgender people to paedophiles), directed at a counter protest of the anti-trans rally, which had been organised by LGBT activists.[15][6]

In a public statement describing Deeming's position as "untenable" due to her "involvement in organising, promoting and participating in a rally with speakers and other organisers who themselves have been publicly associated with far right-wing extremist groups including neo-Nazi activists" Liberal opposition leader, John Pesutto moved to expel her from the party.[15] An attempt was made by fellow MPs Brad Battin and Richard Riordan to delay the expulsion a week, but the move failed, losing the vote 18 to 11. It was believed that Deeming was also supported by Chris Crewther, Matthew Guy, Bill Tilley, David Hodgett, and Ann-Marie Hermans.[33]

Liberal MPs reportedly pressured Pesutto to find a less severe punishment over her role in the rally due to the in-fighting the rally has caused in the party.[34]

In the end, a compromise was made with Deeming accepting a nine-month suspension from the party instead of expulsion from the party. The compromise came after Deeming issued a private statement in the party room, condemning Keen-Minshull's previous use of a Barbie wearing a Nazi uniform on her social media as a "poor distasteful joke".[35]

During her suspension from the party, Deeming threatened party leader Pesutto with legal action, but backed away after a fresh attempt was made to oust her from the party. This second effort, led by former party leader Matthew Guy, saw Deeming back away from her threat of legal action.[36]

Expulsion from the Liberal Party

Deeming reportedly returned to threatening the Liberal Party leader again after sending a letter reiterating the threat of a defamation case.[37] On 12 May 2023 Deeming was expelled from the parliamentary party room by 19 votes to 11.[7][8]

Despite her expulsion, Deeming has re-iterated that she will never quit or resign from the party. In an interview with Sky News Australia's Peta Credlin, Deeming claimed that she had been betrayed by the party and relentlessly hunted out of the party room following the anti-trans rally.[38]

Personal life

Deeming is Presbyterian,[3] though attended the Catholic high school St. Francis Xavier College.[39]

Notes

  1. ↑ While Deeming has been expelled from the parliamentary Liberal party room, she remains a rank-and-file member of the party.[2]

References

  1. ↑ "Mrs Moira Deeming". Parliament of Victoria.
  2. ↑ "Ousted Victorian MP Moira Deeming says she will never quit or resign from Liberal Party". ABC News.
  3. 1 2 3 "Cr Moira Deeming". www.melton.vic.gov.au. Archived from the original on 25 July 2022. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  4. ↑ Abbott, Sumeyya Ilanbey, Broede Carmody, Lachlan (21 March 2023). "Bid to delay expulsion of Deeming fails as details of Pesutto's motion revealed". The Age. Archived from the original on 21 March 2023. Retrieved 21 March 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ↑ Kolovos, Benita (20 March 2023). "Moira Deeming vows to fight expulsion push over involvement in protest attended by neo-Nazis". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 20 March 2023. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  6. 1 2 "Liberal MP set to be expelled over role in violent Melbourne anti-trans rally". 7NEWS. 19 March 2023. Archived from the original on 21 March 2023. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  7. 1 2 Carmody, Sumeyya Ilanbey, Broede (12 May 2023). "Liberal MPs vote to expel Deeming". The Age. Retrieved 12 May 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. 1 2 3 Kohn, Peter. "Victorian Liberals expel Moira Deeming". www.australianjewishnews.com. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  9. ↑ https://www.spectator.com.au/2023/02/moira-deeming-former-labor-party-princess/
  10. ↑ https://www.spectator.com.au/2023/02/moira-deeming-former-labor-party-princess/
  11. ↑ "Moira Deeming". Liberal Victoria. Archived from the original on 27 February 2023. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  12. ↑ Kolovos, Benita (24 July 2022). "Victoria health minister accuses Liberals of selecting anti-abortion Bernie Finn 'clone'". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 25 July 2022. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  13. ↑ Deeming, Moira (20 August 2020). "The cultural juggernaut of transgender ideology: not kids' stuff". The Spectator Australia. Archived from the original on 25 July 2022. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  14. ↑ "The Liberal Nationals strongly oppose barbaric LGBT conversion and suppression practices" (Press release). Liberal Party (Victoria). 2 February 2021. Archived from the original on 3 June 2022. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  15. 1 2 3 Kolovos, Benita (20 March 2023). "Moira Deeming vows to fight expulsion push over involvement in protest attended by neo-Nazis". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 20 March 2023. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  16. ↑ Snowden, Angelica (18 April 2023). "Suspended Victorian Liberal MP Moira Deeming battles for 'sex-based rights'". The Australian. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  17. 1 2 Deeming, Moira (18 October 2020). "Day 19: Changing Hearts, Minds and Laws". Daily Declaration. Christian News. Archived from the original on 24 July 2022. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  18. ↑ Deeming, Moira (16 October 2021). "Day 17: Stopping a Terrible Evil". Daily Declaration. Christian News. Archived from the original on 24 July 2022. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  19. ↑ Oliver, Sarah (20 December 2021). "Councillors speak openly against mandates". Melton & Moorabool. Archived from the original on 2 August 2022. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  20. ↑ LIVE TALK WITH CANADA: Moira Deeming. 9 September 2021. 21 minutes in. Archived from the original on 27 July 2022. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  21. 1 2 Graham, Jackson (23 July 2022). "Liberals choose councillor with controversial trans views to replace Bernie Finn". The Age. Archived from the original on 25 July 2022. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  22. ↑ "Primary Returns 16 January 2023 - Register of Interests" (PDF). Parliament of Victoria. 16 January 2023. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  23. ↑ "St Albans District". Victorian Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 25 July 2022. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  24. ↑ "2018 State election results". Victorian Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 29 July 2022. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  25. ↑ "Melton City Council election results 2020". www.vec.vic.gov.au. Archived from the original on 18 August 2022. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  26. ↑ 2020 Local government elections: Melton City Council Election Report (PDF) (Report). Victorian Electoral Commission. 19 April 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 March 2023. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  27. 1 2 3 Sakkal, Paul (27 July 2022). "State Liberal candidate was deemed 'too extreme' for Scott Morrison's campaign". The Age. Archived from the original on 27 July 2022. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  28. ↑ "Liberals choose councillor with controversial trans views to replace Bernie Finn". Archived from the original on 24 September 2022. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
  29. ↑ "'Delighted' Bernie Finn reacts to his Liberal Party replacement". 25 July 2022. Archived from the original on 24 September 2022. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
  30. ↑ "'In the past': Matthew Guy dismisses concerns over Victorian Liberal candidate's attacks on transgender rights". The Guardian. 29 July 2022. Archived from the original on 29 July 2022. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  31. ↑ Carmody, Broede (21 February 2023). "New Liberal MP uses maiden speech to slam equality 'taken to extremes'". The Age. Archived from the original on 21 February 2023. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  32. ↑ "Activists expose disturbing past of young Aussie neo-Nazi". News.com.au. 20 March 2023. Archived from the original on 22 March 2023. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  33. ↑ Ilanbey, Sumeyya; Eddie, Rachel; Sakkal, Paul (21 March 2023). "Moira Deeming suffers blow in fight against expulsion from Liberals' party room". The Age. Archived from the original on 21 March 2023. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  34. ↑ Ilanbey, Sumeyya (22 March 2023). "Liberals fight for Deeming reprieve as anti-trans rights saga splits party". The Age. Archived from the original on 22 March 2023. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  35. ↑ Ilanbey, Sumeyya; Eddie, Rachel; Smethurst, Annika (27 March 2023). "Deeming spared expulsion after plea to colleagues and Pesutto backflip". The Age. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  36. ↑ Ilanbey, Sumeyya (6 May 2023). "Deeming backs down from legal threats as Liberals set date for her expulsion vote". The Age. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  37. ↑ Smethurst, Annika; Carmody, Broede (11 May 2023). "Deeming fires off defamation threat to Pesutto". The Age. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  38. ↑ McMillan, Ashleigh (14 May 2023). "'Relentlessly hunted': Defiant Deeming says she was done over by Liberals". The Age. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  39. ↑ "Principles over Principals". IPA - The Voice For Freedom. Archived from the original on 19 October 2022. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
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