Moira Deeming to run for Family First in Victoria election

Former Liberal MP Moira Deeming has been named as Family First's candidate for the Western Metropolitan Region in Victoria's coming state election. The announcement was made on Thursday morning alongside Family First national director Lyle Shelton. Victorians are due to vote on November 28.

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Deeming, who now sits as a crossbench member of the upper house, said she had no regrets about the decision to contest the election with Family First. She also said she had been approached by a number of political parties. Shelton said her "resilience and tenacity" made her the right candidate for the party, and said she would stand up for families in western Melbourne.

The candidacy follows Deeming's removal from the Liberal Party in July. She was ousted after refusing to apologise to party room colleague Matthew Guy following an accusation that he had assaulted her. Deeming had alleged that Guy put her in a headlock at a crowded community function, but Victoria Police later said no offence was detected after reviewing CCTV footage that appeared to show him placing a hand on her shoulder during a conversation.

The move adds a new twist to a local contest that has already seen the Liberal Party choose deputy lord mayor of Melbourne Roshena Campbell as Deeming's replacement on the ballot. It also underlines the continuing fallout from the dispute that led to Deeming's departure from the Liberals. For Family First, the decision gives the party a high-profile candidate in a region where it is seeking to make an impact.

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The Western Metropolitan Region is one of the upper house seats in Victoria, and the state election will determine the make-up of the parliament for the next term. Deeming's switch is politically significant because it brings a former Liberal figure into a smaller party's campaign at a time when the contest is already under way. It also keeps attention on the internal divisions that have shaped her political path since leaving the Liberals.

What remains unclear is how much support Deeming can draw for Family First in the region and whether her candidacy will alter the balance of the race. The campaign will now move closer to polling day, with parties positioning themselves for the November 28 vote. The main developments to watch are the response from voters in western Melbourne and whether further candidates or parties are drawn into the dispute.

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