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Moira Deeming exits the party room in March after surviving an initial move to expel her.Credit:Darrian Traynor

The saga has put Pesutto’s leadership to the test as he enters a must-winbyelection in Warrandyte,in Melbourne’s north-eastern suburbs,as the latest Resolve Political Monitor put the statewide Liberal primary voteat just 23 per cent.

On Friday morning,the Liberal Party’s federal women’s committee voted in favour of calling for Deeming to be recalled. A source who asked not to be named so they could discuss internal party matters said the motion passed by one vote.

The committee is tasked with advising the party on policy matters and promoting participation by women in the party. It reports to the federal executive.

“As the peak women’s body of the Liberal Party of Australia,the federal women’s committee is concerned by the actions of Victorian Opposition Leader John Pesutto MP and the actions taken by some members of the Liberal Victorian parliamentary team,” a motion passed by the committee said.

“The expulsion of Moira Deeming MLC was without basis. Women have a right to participate in the political process without fear of cancellation.

“The silencing of women has no place in the Liberal Party.

“The federal women’s committee demands the immediate reinstatement of the honourable member Moira Deeming MLC and a full apology from Opposition Leader Mr John Pesutto MP.”

The committee’s voting membership includes the chair of each state and territory’s women’s section,federal vice president Caroline Inge and the committee’s president and immediate past president. Inge did not attend Friday's meeting.

Federal MP Sussan Ley,who is the shadow minister for women,addressed the meeting on Friday morning before the vote and was unaware of the motion.

The federal women’s committee is the peak body representing women in the Liberal Party,and its activities include promoting women for elected office,advocating policy,advising on issues and helping with election campaigns.

Pesutto declined to comment.

Deeming’s expulsion in May was backed by several key women in the state Liberal Party,who said their concerns were related to her actions,not gender.

In a statement on Friday afternoon,Deeming said:“My husband and I,and our four children,as well as all those who have suffered unjustly for attending the legal and peaceful Let Women Speak rally in Melbourne are extremely,extremely grateful to[the] federal Liberal women’s committee for their public show of support.”

Deeming was voted out of the parliamentary party after the Western Metropolitan Region MP informed the state’s leadership team she intended to launch legal proceedings to challenge her nine-month suspension. A day later,she said she only intended to bring in lawyers for mediation to resolve her suspension.

Following her expulsion,she has issued twodefamation concerns notices that allege Pesutto compared her to a Nazi sympathiser,a claim he rejects. Last week,Deeming confirmed her lawyers were preparing a third defamation concerns notice.

In an interview after the party room vote,Deeming maintained she did nothing wrong when she attended the rally and felt she had honoured the terms of the suspension since March.

Ahead of her defamation action,Deeming has hired lawyer Patrick George,who has advised former prime ministers Paul Keating and Kevin Rudd,and is the author ofDefamation Law in Australia.

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