Two sitting Victorian Liberal MPs in the state's upper house are set to face significant internal challenges for their positions, as party factions manoeuvre ahead of the November election.
Western Metropolitan Region Showdown
Three separate sources have confirmed to Guardian Australia that Moira Deeming, the controversial MP for the Western Metropolitan Region, will be challenged for preselection by Dinesh Gourisetty. Gourisetty is a well-known figure within Melbourne's rapidly expanding Indian community.
Nominations for Liberal upper house preselections officially close on 14 January, with the critical voting scheduled across two weekends in March. This internal contest sets the stage for the broader state election in November.
Supporters of Deeming have signalled she "will not go down without a fight". One backer pointed to her recent successful defamation case against former opposition leader John Pesutto as evidence of her resilience. The MP herself declined to comment, adhering to party rules that prohibit public discussion of preselections.
Gourisetty's Resurgence and Rival Challenges
Gourisetty, who is listed as a donor to Pesutto's legal defence fund, is no stranger to challenging Deeming. He previously contested the preselection in 2022 and ran as the Liberal candidate for Tarneit in 2014. His 2022 bid was hampered by guilty pleas to breaches of the Food Safety Act in 2019.
However, sources indicate he has since built substantial support across the western suburbs branches that comprise the region. Allies claim he has secured backing in eight of the region's 11 branches, a figure hotly disputed by Deeming's camp, who maintain she holds strong grassroots and high-profile endorsements.
The political landscape within the party has also shifted, with the executive committee now seen as more moderate under the new president, Philip Davis.
Wider Preselection Turmoil Across Victoria
The internal strife extends beyond Deeming's seat. In the South-East Metropolitan Region, MP Ann-Marie Hermans is also expected to face a challenge. Several names are circulating for the top spot on that ticket, including former Dunkley candidate and Frankston mayor Nathan Conroy, former Mordialloc candidate Phillip Pease, and Manju Hanumantharayappa, who narrowly missed election in 2022.
Hermans told Guardian Australia she had heard rumours but had not been contacted directly. "If I am being challenged, then my opponent is already showing themself to be unprincipled and gutless," she stated, defending her record of campaigning in Labor-held areas.
In Eastern Victoria, senior Liberals have reportedly approached journalist and author Sue Smethurst to run against MP Renee Heath, though Heath's supporters downplay any threat, citing her promotion to the shadow cabinet.
The preselection process follows the shock resignation of deputy leader Sam Groth. Nathan Conroy is also being considered as a potential candidate for Groth's now-vacant seat of Nepean.
Broader Political Context
The Liberal Party's internal battles contrast with the approach of the governing Labor party, which has delayed its own upper house preselections. Labor is awaiting clarity on group voting tickets and finalising a stability deal between its internal factions.
These preselection contests are critical, determining who will represent the Liberal Party on the ballot paper in November. The outcomes will signal the balance of power between the party's conservative and moderate wings and shape its public face for the upcoming election campaign.
