Victorian Liberal MP Moira Deeming withdraws a Supreme Court legal action against her own party as she makes a final effort to avoid being disendorsed as a candidate ahead of the state election. The ABC and Guardian report that Deeming had launched an 11th-hour challenge in early July, targeting the Victorian Liberal party president, Brian Loughnane. The dispute stems from Deeming’s earlier claim that former Liberal leader Matthew Guy assaulted her at a community event in May, and her subsequent refusal to apologise after Victoria Police assessed the matter and determined there was “no offence detected.”
The Guardian says Deeming’s decision effectively allows the party to proceed with its internal process, including deciding whether to pursue mediation or reconvene to disendorse her. The Daily Mail similarly reports that Deeming drops the legal action against the Liberal Party as her candidate status moves toward a decision. Across outlets, Deeming’s immediate goal is to retain candidacy through the party’s internal proceedings rather than through the court challenge.
