Controversial Victorian politician Moira Deeming is expected to be removed by the Liberal Party as a candidate for the upcoming state election following her refusal to apologise to colleague Matthew Guy.
Deeming reported Guy to police, accusing him of placing her in a headlock at a Macedonian community event last month. However, a police investigation found no wrongdoing, with CCTV footage showing him only touching Deeming on the shoulder while attempting to speak with her at the loud event.
On Friday, a frustrated Matthew Guy fronted the media and demanded a public apology from Deeming, threatening to commence defamation proceedings if one was not forthcoming. Liberal leader Jess Wilson also called for Deeming to apologise.
On Saturday, via her legal representatives, Deeming ruled out any apology. In a statement, her lawyer Tim Houweling said she had misunderstood the technical meaning of the term “headlock”, but maintained that she believed she had been assaulted by Guy.
“She accepts that she misunderstood the technical meaning of the term ‘headlock’ but maintains that she used it in good faith to describe what happened,” Houweling said.
Deeming has also threatened legal action against any suggestion that she filed a false claim in her police report.
Houweling said his client was now the victim of “pack bullying” and noted that Deeming is a survivor of rape and repeated child sexual abuse, and has post-traumatic stress disorder.
The first-term MP’s time in parliament has been marked by controversy. She was removed from the party room after helping organise a rally by British anti-transgender campaigner Kellie-Jay Keen. Deeming later successfully sued then-party leader John Pesutto for defamation over comments he made regarding her involvement in the rally. She was subsequently readmitted to the party, and shortly afterwards Pesutto was replaced as leader by Brad Battin. Battin in turn was replaced by current leader Jess Wilson.
Earlier this year, Deeming lost her preselection for the upcoming election but was reinstated after the selected candidate withdrew. The party now appears set to remove her as a candidate following her refusal to issue an apology.
James Newbury, the Leader of Opposition Business, told the ABC that the party is working through the process to assess whether Deeming remains a suitable candidate.
“A request was made for her to make an unqualified apology. She has refused to do that. Further action, therefore, needs to occur, and the party is working on that now,” Newbury said.
OUTinPerth has reached out to Moira Deeming for comment.
