Victorian Liberal leader John Pesutto has warned suspended MP Moira Deeming to toe the line after she appeared to walk back condemnation of the organisers of a controversial rally.
Ms Deeming was yesterday suspended from the Liberal party room for nine months over her involvement in the "Let Women Speak" rally, which had also been attended by a group of masked men who performed the Nazi salute multiple times.
Mr Pesutto had initially sought her expulsion from the party, but ultimately proposed the suspension after Ms Deeming agreed to "condemn" social media posts by key speakers at the rally.
However, she later appeared to reject the opposition leader's claims that she had condemned the rally's organisers.
"Don't worry, I never condemned you, or KD, or KJ," Ms Deeming tweeted in response to anti-trans activist Angie Jones and in reference to Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull (KJ) and former Liberal candidate for Warringah, Katherine Deves (KD), who had also attended the rally.
Mr Pesutto said the social media statements by Ms Deeming will be closely scrutinised by the party room.
"Moira's not off to a good start and the party room will be very, very seriously concerned if Moira doesn't prove herself by faithfully observing what we agreed to," he told ABC News Breakfast.
"It concerns me, it absolutely does, that those tweets appear to be contradictory but I can tell you Moira won't be able to re-enter the party room if she's going to be speaking and acting inconsistently with what the party room agreed.
"If there are tweets going out that, in any way, contradict the assurances, the representations that Moira provided to the party room that would obviously be a serious matter for the party room."
Ms Deeming yesterday said she accepted her suspension and will continue to support diverse communities in Victoria.
"I unreservedly condemn the poor-taste Nazi jokes and Nazi analogies listed in the annex of evidence against me," she said in a statement.
"I believe I am innocent of all imputations and accusations of any connection whatsoever with Nazism in any shape or form and any bigotry whatsoever toward the LGBTQI+ community.
"I have repeatedly and consistently condemned these heinous views, and I reiterate my condemnation of these views in the strongest possible terms."
Deeming saga puts pressure on Pesutto leadership
Mr Pesutto rejected suggestions his failure to have Ms Deeming kicked out of the party room permanently was a blow to his leadership.
"My party room colleagues, they backed me unanimously," he said in reference to his revised motion for a suspension rather than expulsion.
"I don't know how you can call unanimous support for the proposal I put being 'rolled'."
"Yesterday was the turning point we were looking for and I want to send a message to all Victorians to demonstrate that the Liberal Party I lead will be inclusive, welcoming, it will represent the diversity of our great state."
Some Liberal MPs expressed disappointment that the saga was still sucking political oxygen from the opposition's main job of holding the government to account.
And while some MPs say Mr Pesutto's leadership has been damaged by his handling of Ms Deeming, others have praised him for being willing to compromise and find an alternative solution.
MPs say a speech from Ms Deeming about a "personal experience", which the ABC understands relates to sexual assault, helped sway the debate to a compromise rather than expulsion.
Ms Deeming has been approached for comment today.
A group of MPs is furious about Ms Deeming's social media activity following the assurances she gave at yesterday's party room meeting.
"It's a big stuff you to John,'' one senior MP said.
"It's a sign she cannot be trusted,'' another MP said.
