Former Liberal MP to Contest Victoria’s November Election for Family First

An outspoken Victorian MP will run for Family First at an upcoming state election after she was disendorsed by the Liberals.

Moira Deeming was unveiled on Sept. 10 as Family First’s lead candidate for the Western Metropolitan region at the November poll.

“There’s no more courageous politician in Australia than Moira Deeming,” the party’s national director Lyle Shelton told reporters at state parliament.

“She’s paid a high price for standing up for common-sense values about girls and women’s sex-based rights, and we really respect her for that.”

Deeming said she was courted to join three or four parties but declined to name them.

She described Family First as a “good match” and said she had known Shelton for a long time.

“I know that he’s a man of good character, and I know that he’s never going to ask me to be quiet about child safeguards and sex-based rights … and I’m not interested in cowards who do,” she said.

The Victorian Liberals’ state executive unanimously revoked Mrs Deeming’s candidacy on July 18 when she declined to apologise over unsubstantiated claims of violence against former leader Matthew Guy.

The first-term MP accused Guy of grabbing her “violently” in a headlock at a community event in May, but later claimed she misunderstood the meaning of “headlock”.

Guy told reporters in June that Deeming owed him a public apology, vehemently denying anything untoward took place.

A police investigation concluded no offence was detected at the event.

Melbourne Deputy Lord Mayor Roshena Campbell was selected by the Liberals to replace Deeming at the top of its Western Metropolitan ticket.

By Callum Godde in Melbourne