Pesutto said Keen-Minshull had previously shared platforms with white supremacists and Deeming should have been aware of those associations.

“Moira Deeming has had an association with people to organise the rally along with her assistance,who have shared platforms with viewpoints with people who promote Nazi views or sympathies. That’s the first thing,” Pesutto said.

“Second,Ms Deeming stayed at the rally when the Nazis arrived. Thirdly,having seen the ugly scenes and having had an opportunity to disown and dissociate from those very people,Ms Deeming chose to celebrate[with organisers],as evidenced on social media.”

Deeming had actively promoted and addressed the event.

She said none of the organisers were involved with the men making Nazi salutes on the steps of Parliament.

“The Let Women Speak event saw a number of women injured by the extreme left counter-protestors who infiltrated the event,” Deeming said.

“I was assaulted and injured,along with multiple other women,including one who was taken to hospital after being knocked unconscious. They also became violent with police and punched police horses,forcing the event to finish early. I condemn their actions.”

About 30 people from neo-Nazi group the National Socialist Network,dressed in black and most with their faces covered,attended the protests on Spring Street supporting Keen-Minshull,repeatedlyperforming the Nazi salute and holding up a sign with offensive anti-trans language.

On Saturday night,Deeming tweeted that police should have stopped the masked men from doing the salutes who terrified the anti-trans rights groups.

The Liberal leader met with Deeming for about 90 minutes on Sunday. Sources close to Deeming said she believed her potential expulsion was because of her anti-trans views. They said she has no interest in joining another party.

Federal MPs have contacted her offering their support but state MPs accused her of “not being part of the team”.

Prominent Indigenous leader Nyunggai Warren Mundine slammed the decision to try and expel Deeming and said he would be advocating on her behalf. The former president of the ALP,who later stood as a Liberal,describe the motion as “madness”.

“The allegation she’s fraternising with Nazis is absurd,” he toldThe Age. “I can see why the Liberal Party struggles to win elections – it’s fallen into the same old trap. They need a backbone.”

He said he was “completely ropeable” by the decision and calls Deeming a friend.

The Age has spoken to several sources that confirmed Deeming went to the meeting not believing she would be expelled.

Earlier this month,Deeming had actively promoted the event and spoke about it in the upper house,where she represents the Western Metropolitan Region.

Asked why nobody in the leadership team – including Georgie Crozier and Matt Bach,who lead the opposition in the upper house – had raised concerns about her involvement before Saturday,Pesutto said he could not “babysit the activities of every MP”.

He said he was a strong supporter of free speech but that did not include hate speech and Deeming’s expulsion was necessary to make the Liberal Party an effective opposition in a position to govern in 2026.

“I’m not here to say that people can’t have different views. I’m here to say it will never be acceptable in this state of Victoria,as a member of the Liberal Party,to associate with anyone who is connected with or shared platforms with Nazis,white supremacists,ethno-nationalists,or whatever other odious agenda someone wishes to spout,” Pesutto said.

“We need to take these strong,decisive steps to show that we will never support and that we will always oppose anything that is hateful or liable to incite.”

Pesutto will move the motion at a party room meeting early next week.

“I’m confident I’ll have the support of the party room … Every day is a test of leadership and I would consider it a great failure of leadership if I didn’t take this action,” he said.

He said he was not aware of any other Liberal MP participating in the rally but would continue to look into the matter. He said he did not expect the saga to be a disruption for the party as it pursues theLabor government on integrity and the federal party seeks to hold the seat of Aston at a byelection.

The Liberal Party supports a move tocriminalise the Nazi salute after Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes confirmed on Monday that the government would seek to strengthen anti-vilification laws.

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