EASTERN Victoria MP Renee Heath has been demoted from her role as secretary of the Parliamentary Liberal Party.
At a party room meeting held Friday, May 12, Dr Heath’s colleagues voted 19-11 to remove her as secretary.
ABC News reported that Dr Heath was sanctioned over her taking of party room minutes at previous meetings, having produced three different versions of minutes – one of which was leaked to media. Dr Heath denies leaking.
The demotion prevents her from taking minutes at future meetings, but she remains allowed to sit in the party room and vote on matters.
When asked to comment, Dr Heath told the Gippsland Times she “worked with the leader’s office every step of the way regarding the minutes.”
At the same party room meeting, the Liberal Party voted to expel Western Metropolitan MP Moira Deeming from the party room indefinitely; that vote was also won 19-11. Ms Deeming had faced criticism from her colleagues over reports she was planning on suing the Liberal Party’s state leader, John Pesutto.
Ms Deeming did not attend the meeting; in March, she was suspended from the party room for nine months following her attendance at a controversial “Let Women Speak” rally.
Speaking at a press conference after Friday’s meeting, Mr Pesutto insisted that both moves were not about excluding people because of their viewpoints.
“What’s happened today, and in recent weeks, has nothing to do with whether somebody is conservative or progressive,” Mr Pesutto said.
“It’s all about, are we a united, disciplined and focused team, and as leader, my primary focus is on making sure that the team I lead has discipline, focus and unity in the way we go forward.”
Dr Heath said she wanted to focus on the government and the upcoming budget: “I believe we should talk less about politicians and more about Victorians.”
