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Day one of the defamation trial of expelled Liberal MP Moira Deeming against Victorian Opposition Leader John Pesutto has further exposed the shabby treatment of her and women’s rights issues by the Victorian Liberal Party.

Deeming’s barrister, Sue Chrysanthou SC, revealed that Pesutto had unfairly vilified Deeming by associating her with neo-Nazis who gate-crashed the Let Women Speak rally in March 2023.

Pesutto’s determination to expel her from the party was allegedly motivated by political expediency and his dislike of her mainstream views rather than any actual wrongdoing.

Of new significance to the case is the late emergence of a secret recording of a 70-minute meeting between Deeming and senior Liberal leaders the day after the rally.

Although this evidence was only recently handed over to Deeming’s legal team, it reportedly exposes the unfairness of Pesutto’s actions.

Foregone Conclusion

According to Chrysanthou, the recording shows that despite giving Deeming an opportunity to explain herself, Pesutto had already made up his mind to expel her, drafting a press release implying her resignation hours before the meeting.

This seems to indicate a calculated campaign to smear Deeming’s reputation.

Text messages revealed during the trial further highlight the premeditated nature of Pesutto’s actions.

In one exchange with former Liberal MP Louise Staley, Pesutto agreed that Deeming should be expelled for “consorting with Nazis”.

Chrysanthou argued this was blatantly inconsistent with Pesutto’s claim that he was simply allowing Deeming a chance to defend herself.

Furthermore, federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton urged Pesutto to stop discussing Deeming with the media, stating, “John, for the sake of Aston, could you please put this issue to bed today.”

It’s disappointing Dutton didn’t defend Deeming on the substance of what were clearly trumped-up fake Nazi charges by Pesutto against Deeming.

This shows that political considerations overshadowed any genuine concern for the truth and justice for Deeming.

Chilling Effect

Moira Deeming, who was expelled from the Parliamentary party in May 2023 but not the Liberal Party itself, has maintained that her primary goal was to protect women’s rights, particularly the safety of girls and women in the face of radical gender ideology.

The Let Women Speak rally she helped organise aimed to voice concerns over these very issues.

The irony of Deeming’s situation is striking: she was fighting to defend women’s rights — an issue the Liberal Party should have been championing — and yet, she was cast out by her own party for doing so.

Instead of supporting her stance, Pesutto and his leadership team chose to smear her by associating her with neo-Nazi sympathisers, despite clear evidence that Deeming had no connection to the extremist group.

This case has significant implications for conservatives and women’s rights advocates within the Liberal Party.

If Pesutto and the party leadership get away with their demonisation of Deeming, it could set a dangerous precedent, discouraging any future attempts by party members to stand up for traditional conservative values or to advocate for the protection of women’s spaces.

It also suggests that the Liberal Party is more concerned with appeasing political forces than standing up for principles.

Women’s rights advocates within the party may find it increasingly difficult to raise their concerns without fear of similar retaliation.

Pesutto’s defamation of Deeming has not only hurt her personally but has also endangered her family, as she has received numerous threats, including against her children.

Despite this, the Liberal Party leadership seems unmoved, showing little regard for the safety of a colleague who was merely advocating for the protection of women.

As this trial unfolds, the consequences for the party’s internal dynamics and its ability to represent conservative voters may become even more profound.

This trial has the potential to destabilise the Liberal Party’s leadership and further alienate women who expect their political representatives to fight for their rights, not expel those who do.

If Pesutto prevails in this case, it could signal a shift within the party — away from its traditional values and towards a more politically opportunistic stance, ultimately weakening its support among grassroots conservatives and women’s rights advocates.

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Republished with thanks to Family First.

This blog is based on information gathered from reports by The Age, Sky News, The Guardian, and ABC News on the Moira Deeming defamation trial.

Image via Moira Deeming.