Moira Deeming is poised to secure the top spot on the Victorian Liberal Party's upper house ticket unopposed, just a week after being ousted from the position. The reversal comes after a re-run preselection ballot saw all other candidates withdraw or be ruled ineligible.
Deeming was initially voted out of the number one position for the western metropolitan region by Dinesh Gourisetty on Sunday. However, Gourisetty was deemed ineligible to stand in the November state election after it emerged he provided a character reference for a friend convicted of sexually assaulting a child. The Victorian Liberal party executive subsequently resolved to hold a fresh preselection.
Nominations for the new ballot opened late Tuesday and closed at midday Thursday. Deeming and fellow upper house MP Trung Luu, who both contested Sunday's vote, were not required to renominate. Luu withdrew from the contest, stating it was 'in the best interest of the party,' and remains in the number two position.
Three other candidates nominated for the top spot: Tim Beddoe, Bobby Lakra, and Steve Murphy. Lakra, considered Deeming's main challenger due to his support from Melbourne's Indian community, was ruled invalid after his nomination was found to be missing required referral letters. A source close to Lakra accused the party executive of 'intentionally knocking back' his application. Following Lakra's exclusion, Beddoe withdrew, and Murphy, an ally of Deeming, also stepped aside.
The withdrawals clear the way for the party executive to endorse Deeming without a preselection convention. Sources said this outcome was part of a concerted effort to contain the factional war engulfing the party before the November election. Deeming, who is on personal leave, has not publicly confirmed her candidacy, but under party rules, she is automatically considered for endorsement.
Several party members have criticised the re-run process as a 'stitch up' designed to limit new candidates, citing the short 36-hour nomination window and the requirement for references, signatures, police checks, credit reports, an 18-page questionnaire, and a $5,000 application fee. The process is now under review after it failed to flag Gourisetty's character reference.
