Victorian MP refuses to apologise for assault complaint against colleague
Updated . First published at
A Victorian MP who accused an ex-Liberal leader of putting her in a “headlock” at a function last month has refused to apologise after admitting she may have misunderstood the name she used to describe the gesture.
Moira Deeming filed a police complaint over the incident on June 16, claiming former Victorian Liberal leader Matthew Guy put her a headlock at a Macedonian community event in Sunshine West on May 23.
Matthew Guy and Moira Deeming seen in CCTV footage at the Macedonian community event last month. The Age
Victoria Police confirmed last week it had concluded an investigation into the alleged assault, finding “there was no offence detected” and that it would not pursue charges.
CCTV footage which has circulated from the gathering, failed to capture an assault but appeared to show the pair leaning into each other and Guy placing his hand on Deeming’s back, seemingly to be better heard in the busy room.
Deeming, through her lawyer Tim Houweling, issued a lengthy statement on Monday which categorically denied making a false complaint.
She admitted to misunderstanding the “technical meaning” of the term headlock after reviewing the footage but maintains she used it in good faith to describe the incident to police.
“She will not apologise for something she has not done,” Houweling said.
“Our client instructs us to make clear that she categorically rejects any suggestion that her complaint was falsely made and considers any such allegation to be entirely without foundation and highly defamatory.
“A decision by police not to pursue charges is not a finding that a complaint was falsely made.”
Deeming filed the complaint with Victoria Police on June 16. Joe Armao
Houweling said Deeming made the complaint “honestly, in good faith and only as a matter of last resort”.
He said the complaint was unable to be resolved internally within the Liberal Party and that Deeming was advised to report the matter to police.
Deeming defended her recollection of the incident as unwanted physical contact.
“Without attributing motive to the other party, our client maintains that from her perspective this physical contact by a senior male colleague in the workplace was unexpected, unwelcome, physically painful and caused her to feel fear and confusion,” her lawyer added.
“This incident was exacerbated by our client’s prior history of being a victim of rape and sexual abuse, and having PTSD both from that and from what has occurred over the last more than three years.
“She considers it deeply regrettable that this matter was not able to remain within the party’s confidential processes and that it has instead become the subject of public commentary, causing unnecessary distress to all those involved.”
Matthew Guy demanded Moira Deeming apologise for making the assault allegation against him. Simon Schluter
Deeming is overseas, but Houweling said she will “continue working towards an internal resolution” with senior members of the Liberal Party once she has returned home.
Guy fronted the media last week and demanded public apologies from Deeming, as well as Premier Jacinta Allan and Attorney-General Sonya Kilkenny, who both made comments on the allegations.
The frontbencher said his family had been “deeply hurt” by the allegations.
“My wife, my sons, my parents, my brother, my cousin, my family who share my name deserve those apologies as well,” Guy said.
“My family name, my reputation, is not a political toy. No one’s is.
“And so I want, and my family deserves, those apologies, particularly from Moira Deeming.”
Guy also criticised the wider response to Deeming’s allegation, claiming “every Australian male over 40 seems to be blamed, scapegoated, not believed and now thrown under the bus”.
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