Newly discovered in her defamation case with Victorian Opposition Leader John Pesutto, expelled Liberal MP Moira Deeming said that gay and transgender persons were her “biggest fans” in an audio clip.
On Thursday, the Federal Court heard Deeming’s denial of holding “homophobic or transphobic views”—the second time an unexpected tape has surfaced during the trial. “There is no evidence I have those views,” Deeming replied in the recording.
“My biggest fans are gay people and trans people.”
At a press conference, Deeming threatened to round up lesbians to support Pesutto, who had voiced his fear that reporters would “try to tear me to shreds” because there is “no smoking gun” to point to.
Men in black who saluted in a Nazi fashion gatecrashed a transgender-critical March protest that Deeming had attended the previous year, and she is suing her former political employer for remarks he made afterward.
According to previous reports, Deeming got her hair done in February of last year instead of attending a party room meeting that was being held while parliament was in session.
After first granting Deeming permission to attend a child’s medical appointment, senior Victorian Liberal MP Georgie Crozier was taken aback to learn that the real reason was to attend a hair appointment.
Crozier found it “ridiculous” that anyone would leave the gathering for such a purpose. Deeming had requested Crozier, in a series of texts made public in court, for permission to skip a party room meeting; the texts did not specify why.
Her first speech to parliament was the same day as the gathering.
Crozier denied the assertion made by Deeming’s lawyer, Sue Chrysanthou SC, that her client had been “scolded” for failing to show up despite giving notice.
“It’s parliament, you don’t get your hair done at parliament,” she pointed out.
Chrysanthou questioned if Crozier, who is childless herself, had considered her client’s parental duties following the Liberal MP’s assertion that she was cognizant of colleagues who had to balance many roles.
Crozier responded by stating that a hair appointment did not constitute a valid excuse to skip a meeting in the party room.
Until the guys in black were led away by the police, Deeming claimed in court that the salute had nothing to do with her gathering and that she had not noticed the gesture.
Deeming was removed from the Liberals two months after receiving a nine-month suspension; Pesutto has denied any wrongdoing against him.
At a news conference following the event, Crozier denied claims that Pesutto had lied.
“It’s my recollection he never accused Mrs Deeming of being a Nazi,” claimed the woman.
David Southwick, the party’s deputy leader, had earlier this week claimed that, as a “insurance policy,” he had secretly filmed a 70-minute discussion between Deeming and senior Liberals in the days following the demonstration.
