Five state Liberal MPs have signed a motion calling for a meeting to reinstate ousted Liberal MP Moira Deeming to the party’s parliamentary wing. Deeming was exiled from the party room last May after threatening to sue party leader John Pesutto. She won her case against Pesutto last week, with the Federal Court ruling that he had defamed her during a series of media appearances and in a party expulsion motion.
Moira Deeming told reporters she “still believed” in the Liberal Party. (Simon Schluter)The judge found that Pesutto had implied Deeming was unfit to remain in the parliamentary Liberal Party. Following the ruling, Pesutto addressed the media, stating he had no plans to step down as head of the Liberal Party.He also stated he would not personally support a decision to reintegrate Deeming within the party, but said it would be a matter for the party as a whole to decide on.Friday’s party room meeting will be a major test for Pesutto after Liberal MP Sam Groth resigned from the frontbench last week.
Opposition Leader John Pesutto could face a leadership test on Friday. (Photograph by Chris Hopkins)In a joint statement issued yesterday, the group of five MPs said Deeming’s expulsion from the party was “fundamentally flawed”.”It is a simple matter of fairness ,” the statement co-signed by Liberal MPs Bill Tilley, Richard Riordan, Renee Heath, Joe McCracken and Chris Crewther said. “Liberal Party members, and indeed all Victorians, expect their elected Liberal members to act with integrity and to do right by our colleagues as we would by the state.”A vote for this motion would show that we take these expectations seriously.”As a team, we look forward to closing this sorry chapter for good and moving on rapidly and with decency and integrity.”Deeming last week told reporters she “still believed” in the Liberal Party and had “every right” to return.”I have every right to be there, I did nothing wrong,” she said. “All the accusations that were made about me, they were just disproven in court.”