On Friday May 11, the Victorian Liberal Party voted to expel MP Moira Deeming over her alleged threat to sue for defamation. Preceding the expulsion on Friday was an initial threat to expel her on the primary basis that her conduct in participating in a pro-women’s rights rally has discredited the party image. The secondary basis, as outlined by Pesutto’s letter dated March 20, was that she allegedly participated in public associations with ‘Nazi sympathisers’.
The information presented in the annexure section of the letter has nothing to do with Deeming’s conduct. In a recent interview with Peta Credlin, Deeming has explained that her family was subject to the tyranny of the German Nazi party; comments which would clarify her views on neo-Nazism to anyone with eyes, except perhaps the Victorian Liberal Leader.
It appears to some observers that the Liberal Party is probably expelling Deeming largely over her ‘anti-trans’ sentiment, while the the rest of the discussion is used as an excuse to disempower her, shatter her public image, and ultimately banish her from the party.
In the Victorian Charter of Human Rights (2006) (‘VCHR’), section 13(b) states that a person’s reputation cannot be unlawfully attacked. The same document makes it clear that is perfectly lawful for Deeming to associate with whom she wants, and attend rallies on political topics. Arguably, her duty as a public servant cannot be fulfilled unless she is able to freely exercise her democratic rights as enshrined in several state and federal laws. The VCHR at section 14 states that every person has the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion, or belief.
It does not say ‘except for Moira Deeming or other Liberal Christians’.
It is important to note that much of the broader public and the membership of the Liberal Party itself share Deeming’s views concerning the trans agenda and its treatment of children, contrary to adequate scientific consensus. There is still no real consensus within the medical or psychological community that has been reached, supported by independent and veritable research to be claiming these agendas are beneficial to the long-term mental and physical wellbeing of its espousers.
Deeming, a strong Christian, is not the only religious member within the party – Nick Goiran (WA), Andrew Hastie (WA), Alex Antic (SA), and others are also publicly Christian and open about their views. Right across the country there appears to be hostility toward political Christians, particularly from the press.
Nick Goiran, Alex Antic, and Andrew Hastie were all voted in and presently remain in the Liberal Party, which means they have public support, indicating vast portions of the public wish to see Christians in government because if not, they would have all be kicked out by the public, not attacked by fellow party members.
Australia’s number one religion, is ‘surprise surprise’, still Christianity, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics – and it makes sense that it is, as Christianity founded this nation. The dictators in the Victorian Liberal Party, it seems, want you to ignore this historical fact as they complain about (very common) religious values.
At the end of the day, a difference in worldview appears to be the root cause of the party’s inability to tolerate Deeming and her method of engagement with the public.
For the Liberal party to seek the termination of Deeming over the basis that she attended an ‘anti-trans’ agenda rally, is not only despotic, but in my view it amounts to workplace discrimination. I also believe it tests the Equal Opportunity Act (2010) in Victoria. A politician cannot carry out their democratic and representative duties without being allowed to associate, at times, with other political figures, or attend rallies that provide them with an opportunity for free speech. A politician’s practical democratic duties, much of which takes place through public relations, is how they exercise their employment as servants to the public under the Constitution.
In other words, an expulsion over Deeming’s perfectly democratically aligned conduct is frankly unreasonable.
Is Pesutto against true conservative values, including basic democratic principles such as freedom of association, expression, and religion? The Liberal Party is supposed to be espousing these principles. If the Liberal Party members of Victoria did not wish to see these values in Parliament, then why was Moira Deeming, and other Christian Liberals, voted into government in the first place?
Pesutto and the rest of the Victorian Liberal Party need to come to terms with the reality of the law, the reality of their own party values, and the reality of what the Victorian Liberal members actually want and vote in.
Democratic freedoms, including the model of a truly representative democracy, is found in section 7 and section 24 of the Constitution which outlines the fact that Senators and representative members must be directly chosen by the people. Denying Deeming the ability to practice her religious values is worryingly tyrannical.
The irony is baffling and the law is clear.
