Moira Deeming could stay on Liberal ticket after preselection bungle as members make ‘stitch up’ claim

<p>Potential challengers given only 36 hours to prepare for a rerun after the winner was deemed ineligible</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2026/apr/01/australian-politics-live-cost-of-living-fuel-crisis-excise-inflation-anthony-albanese-jim-chalmers-budget-health-insurance-premiums-ntwnfb">Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates</a></p></li><li><p>Get our <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?CMP=cvau_sfl">breaking news email</a>, <a href="https://app.adjust.com/w4u7jx3">free app</a> or <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/series/full-story?CMP=cvau_sfl">daily news podcast</a></p></li></ul><p>Moira Deeming could secure the top spot on a Victorian Liberal ticket – if she still wants it – after potential challengers were given only 36 hours to prepare nominations for a rerun preselection ballot, in what some insiders call a “stitch up”.</p><p>It came after Deeming was on Sunday <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/mar/29/victorian-liberal-party-moira-deeming-preselection">ousted from the number one spot</a> for the western metropolitan region by Dinesh Gourisetty. But by Monday night, the Victorian Liberal party executive resolved to hold a fresh preselection, after Gourisetty was deemed ineligible to stand as a candidate at the November state election <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/mar/30/moira-deeming-dinesh-gourisetty-sex-offender-character-reference-victorian-liberals-ntwnfb">due to a character reference he provided for a friend convicted of sexually assaulting a child</a>.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/apr/01/moira-deeming-liberal-party-preselection-ntwnfb">Continue reading...</a>

Read the full article at: The Guardian World →