Liberal party blocks MP’s expulsion
Victorian Liberals failed to expel an MP who worked with far-right activists on an anti-transgender rights rally at which Hitler salutes were made.
Deputy Liberal leader David Southwick has pledged to safeguard LGBTQI+ groups and the Jewish community from neo-Nazi threats after Victorian Liberals failed to expel an MP who worked with far-right activists on an anti-transgender rights rally at which Hitler salutes were made.
“I want to make it unequivocally clear that I will continue to speak out against behaviour that enables any form of intolerance. Individual values should not compromise the safety, security, and identity of others,” Southwick told The AJN.
Moira Deeming, a Western Metropolitan MLC, dodged expulsion from the party on Monday, accepting a nine-month suspension, a subsequent review, and removal as upper-house whip.
Deeming was under fire for promoting and addressing Let Women Speak, a March 19 rally on the steps of state Parliament which drew black-garbed, masked neo-Nazis who repeatedly gave Hitler salutes.
The furore deepened with the circulation of a tweet from Angie Jones, a far-right activist linked to Deeming. Jones, in some interpretations, appeared to make common cause with Nazis, posting, “Nazis and women want to get rid of paedo filth.”
But in a blow to John Pesutto’s 16-week Liberal leadership, in which he has tried to draw the party closer to the political centre, MPs did not deliver his leadership group Deeming’s expulsion, which he had publicly called for.
The Liberal leader’s original motion, publicly released last week, stated Deeming must be expelled because she met with UK anti-transgender rights activist Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, and had posted a video featuring her alongside Keen-Minshull, Jones, and former NSW Liberal candidate Katherine Deves.
“Angie Jones on that day posted on Twitter words that, in the mind of any reasonable and lay observer, made association with Nazis,” part of the motion stated, “including … posting the words ‘Nazis and women want to get rid of paedo filth. Why don’t you.'”
But a party meeting on Monday delivered Pesutto and his leadership group – which includes Caulfield MP Southwick – an unexpected twist. They fell short of the 16 members they needed from among 31 MPs and were downshifted into a compromise.
Pesutto said Deeming, who had earlier denied any wrongdoing, had issued an 11th-hour condemnation of hate speech before the meeting.
In the party room, an emotional speech by Deeming on aspects of her personal life appeared to sway MPs.
The Liberal leader told The AJN Deeming “made important concessions including denouncing the shameful Nazi social media posts. These were the concessions that I had been seeking all week”.
But shortly after the meeting, Deeming unnerved her colleagues again, tweeting in response to Jones, “I never condemned you.”
Pesutto later said he has not ruled out further repercussions for Deeming. He told ABC TV that “she’s not off to a good start”.
Deeming’s role in the rally was condemned last week by the Jewish Community Council of Victoria and other Jewish organisations.
The rally prompted the Andrews government to announce plans to ban Nazi salutes in Victoria.
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