Aspiring politician Katherine Deves has told The Sydney Morning Herald she is considering running for Warringah for the Liberal party at the next federal election.
Deves, who campaigns against transgender women participating in women sport, was the party’s candidate at the last election. She lost to incumbent independent Zali Steggall.
Her selection as a candidate was widely criticised, and some political commentators have attributed her campaign to having a negative effect on moderate Liberal members in surrounding electorates.
During the election campaign several high-profile Liberal politicians were critical of her selection as a candidate, while others decline to voice support for her campaign.
During the 2021 election a slew of previous comments made by Deves were highlighted and her campaign issued a series of apologies, which the candidate later said she regretted making.
Deves later put her hand up to be selected as a federal senator replacing the late Jim Molan, but withdrew her candidacy after she faced a brutal interview with Sky News presenter Sharri Markson.
“I am being encouraged, but I have to say that I am very focused on the several important legal cases I am running at the moment,” Deves told The Sydney Morning Herald.
After being admitted as a solicitor to the Supreme Court in 2021 Deves is currently representing social media app Giggle in the landmark case Tickle vs Giggle. The case centres around the social media app’s decision to ban transgender woman Roxanne Tickle from their platform.
Since the last election Deves has remained in the media spotlight through her participation in the controversial Let Women Speak tour by British activist Kellie-Jay Keen. Deves appeared alongside Keen at several stops on her Australian tour including the event in Melbourne where a group of neo-Nazi’s appeared adjacent to the event.
In interviews Deves has stressed that she is not homophobic, and the focus of her activism is protecting women’s sports, but she has been prominent in criticising Pride events including the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.
In 2022 she claimed that the Sydney Cricket Ground was permanently changing the name of the historic Ladies Pavillion to the Pride Pavillion. A claim that was categorically denied by the venue. Deves said the Mardi Gras event had been “captured” by corporate sponsorship and was no longer an event where people made floats in their backyards.
She was also forced to issue an apology to drag performer Courtney Act clarifying comments she made about the entertainers New Year’s Eve performance, criticised the funding of the Victorian Pride Centre. On another occasion she described the Pride movement as a neo-religion without a God.
This week Deves was critical of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore’s bid for a sixth term of office, taking to social media to criticise the longstanding mayor of holding “endless Pride celebrations” and raising the Pride progress flag about the Town Hall.
Preselection for the seat of Warringah will open next year.
OIP Staff
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