Victorian MP Moira Deeming looks likely to face a preselection challenge ahead of the Victorian State election this November.
According to a report in The Guardian Deeming might be bumped by party members in favour of Dinesh Gourisetty, a prominent figure in Melbourne’s fast-growing Indian community.
Deeming is a first term parliamentarian who has used much her time in parliament to focus on curtailing transgender rights and recognition.
In 2024 she successfully sued the party’s then leader John Pesutto for defamation following comments he made about her participation in organising a public event on the steps of parliament house that featured British provocateur Kellie-Jay Keen.
Pesutto subsequently resigned as the party’s leader and came close to falling into bankruptcy, which would have made him ineligible to continue in parliament. The party lent him $1.5million to help pay the associated $2.3 million in legal costs, but that move is now subject to a court challenge from Liberal party members.
Pesutto was replaced by Brad Battin as leader, who in December was toppled by new leader Jess Wilson. Wilson was urged to put Deeming on the front bench as the Minister for Women, but she declined to promote the first term MP to such a significant role.
Deeming is unable to comment on the possibility of a pre-selection challenge due to the party’s rules, but her supporters have told The Guardian that she “Won’t go down without a fight.”
Potential challenger Dinesh Gourisetty has been publicly listed as a contributor to Pesutto’s legal defense fund. The Guardian approached him for comment on their report.
At the November election the Liberal party will be hoping to bring an end to Labor’s long reign in Victoria. Labor, under Premier Jacinta Allan will be hoping to win a record fourth term. They have been in government since 2014 when the government led by Daniel Andrews defeated the team of Premier Dennis Napthine.
With less than a year to the poll Liberal leader Jess Wilson was dealt a blow this week when her Deputy leader, former tennis champion and broadcaster Sam Groth, announced he would not be contesting the November poll. Groth cited recent speculation about his personal life in the media, and said some of the pressue of that situation had come from within his own party.
Yesterday veteran MP Wendy Lovell also announced she’d be retiring at the end of the year. Lovell has been in the parliament since 2002.
