The headlines screamed that democratically elected Victorian Liberal MP Moira Deeming was suspended from the party for attending an anti-trans rally.

They lied!

It was not an anti-trans rally. It was a Let Women Speak event, which was simply that. A public event to give women a voice about a whole range of issues that affect women: domestic violence, rape crisis shelters, prisons, bathrooms, education and sport.

Anyone who bothered to attend or listen to the women in Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Hobart, Melbourne or the ACT heard women share deeply moving stories about their personal experiences as women in vulnerable situations. Yet the media continually rolled out a false narrative to cause division and whip up a frenzy that culminated in event leader Kellie-Jay Keen and her supporters being physically assaulted.

A neo-Nazi group crashed the Let Women Speak Melbourne event and performed a Nazi salute. Immediately Deeming and other women present condemned the men. There was no association or endorsement of Nazi views what-so-ever.

Despite the facts, Victorian Liberal Party leader John Pessuto falsely accused Deeming of being guilty by association and first moved to expel her from the party. When it became clear there were no grounds for expulsion – because she had done nothing wrong, he chose to pursue a suspension instead. He has succeeded in hamstringing this female MP for nine months.

He and other party members clearly failed to listen to the women who spoke and drew wildly inaccurate conclusions to stop Moira Deeming, a woman, from speaking as a member of the party.

“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.

What he failed to do was prove anything Deeming has done or said was disrespectful in any way. Giving women a voice is far from disrespectful or intolerant.

He also said, “She has to show her colleagues that she’s going to be a team player in the future.”

What exactly does that mean? She has to be a good little girl and keep quiet about issues that affect women in her state every single day because they are women? She can’t be critical of an agenda that allows men who appropriate female stereotypes access to women’s spaces and services? Is she allowed to advocate for single-sex spaces and services?

It is outrageous that Pesutto and his mates can get away with these actions without being challenged. None of them have substantiated any claim that was made against her. They have displayed utter contempt to the voters of the Western Metro area who elected her.

Pesutto and friends need to put up or shut up.

Moira Deeming did nothing wrong!

You can read and hear more of what Moira said to the party room here in an emotional speech that reveals death threats and counters the claim she is a Nazi sympathizer stating it couldn’t be further from the truth!

For the record - I stand with Moira Deeming.

If you do too please send a message today to John Pesutto.