An outspoken first-term MP will seek to extend her political career through a minor party after the Liberals disendorsed her.
Moira Deeming was unveiled on Thursday as Family First’s lead candidate for the Western Metropolitan region at the Victorian state election in November.
"There's no more courageous politician in Australia than Moira Deeming," the party’s national director Lyle Shelton told reporters at state parliament.
“She’s paid a high price for standing up for common-sense values about girls and women's sex-based rights, and we really respect her for that.”
Mrs Deeming said she was courted to join three or four parties but declined to name them.
The upper house MP described Family First as a "good match" and said she had known Mr Shelton for a long time.
"I know that he's a man of good character, and I know that he's never going to ask me to be quiet about child safeguards and sex-based rights … and I'm not interested in cowards who do," she said.
The Victorian Liberals’ state executive unanimously revoked Mrs Deeming’s candidacy on July 18 when she declined to apologise over unsubstantiated claims of violence against former leader Matthew Guy.
The first-term MP accused Mr Guy of grabbing her ”violently” in a headlock at a community event in May, but later claimed she misunderstood the meaning of “headlock”.
Mr Guy told reporters in June that Mrs Deeming owed him a public apology, vehemently denying anything untoward took place.
A police investigation concluded no offence was detected at the event.
Mrs Deeming did not back away from her past comments on Thursday and criticised the Liberal Party's handling of the incident.
"I wish I had been wiser to realise that was the way they were always going to handle it," she said.
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson ruled out recruiting Mrs Deeming, saying she did not want her because she had refused to apologise.
"I considered every invitation that I got," Mrs Deeming said.
"She (Senator Hanson) wasn't given all the information and I'm not angry at her. She just made an innocent mistake."
Victorian Opposition Leader Jess Wilson, who led the push to disendorse Mrs Deeming, said she was not disappointed with how the matter had played out.
"That's nice for her," she said when asked about Mrs Deeming joining Family First.
Premier Ben Carroll said he wished Mrs Deeming well.
"She's joined the Liberal Party, she's tried to join One Nation and now she's at Family First," he said.
The Liberal Party selected Melbourne Deputy Lord Mayor Roshena Campbell to replace Mrs Deeming at the top of its Western Metropolitan ticket.
