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Benched MP flags return to Liberals after trans furore

Moira Deeming avoids Liberal Party expulsion

Benched Victorian MP Moira Deeming has walked back her condemnation of the organisers of a controversial anti-trans rally while planning her return to the Liberals.

Ms Deeming was suspended for attending the rally that was crashed by neo-Nazis.

On Monday night she accepted her nine-month suspension after describing her rally attendance as an “error of judgement”.

Ms Deeming said she looked forward to working with Liberal leader John Pesutto upon her return.

“I have accepted that my attendance at the Let Women Speak event on the steps of the Victorian Parliament on Saturday 18 March may have been an error of judgement,” she wrote in a statement.

“I accept the suspension given to me by my colleagues.”

She added: “I support John Pesutto and the leadership team and look forward to working with them into the future to win government in 2026.”

Ms Deeming furiously denied having any ties to Nazism, saying: “I will continue to support the many diverse communities in Victoria.”

But in an apparent walking back of her rally condemnation she tweeted: “Don’t worry, I never condemned you, or KD, or KJ,”.

That tweet was in response to rally organiser and anti-trans activist Angie Jones and referred to British anti-trans activist Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull and Katherine Deves, the former Liberal candidate for Warringah.

Deeming tells of rape

Meanwhile The Australian reports Ms Deeming was able to avoid expulsion from the Liberals after revealing she had been sexually abused as a child.

A copy of her speech to colleagues was provided to Sky News host Peta Credlin.

In the speech, Ms Deeming explained that her motivation for women’s and children’s rights was because she had suffered assaults since she was four years old.

“I note that many of you are confused and annoyed with me for persisting in talking about women’s rights, intersex rights, gay rights, parents’ rights and safeguards for women and children,” Ms Deeming reportedly told the party room.

“I assure you the reasons are completely and utterly based on love and compassion, not any sort of bigotry – and not even on religion or conservative politics.”

“When I speak on these issues, I speak from personal experience. My life has been marred repeatedly by rape – at the hands of men – from the age of four.

“I have been assaulted in public facilities, I was sexually harassed and assaulted by a teacher who later went to jail for having sex with minors.

“I am driven by a desire to make sure other children and women don’t suffer like I did.”

Ms Deeming initially faced expulsion in a move triggered by Mr Pesutto, after she spoke at the anti-trans rights event on the steps of the Victorian parliament, at which neo-Nazis were pictured performing the Nazi salute.

On Monday, she was instead suspended for nine months following an emotional two-hour meeting.

Mr Pesutto said he put forward the suspension proposal after Ms Deeming condemned Nazism and bigotry against the LGBTQI community.

Ms Deeming made those concessions in a signed memorandum to Mr Pesutto at 6.30am on Monday before the 10am meeting.

“She’s suspended from the party room and what she’s accepted is that our discussions around this must always be respectful, and inclusive, even if people disagree,” he said.

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