Victorian Liberal MP Moira Deeming has dropped her legal action against the Victorian Liberal party, apparently deciding that suing your own team is bad for team morale. Deeming launched an 11th-hour Supreme Court challenge on 3 July against party president Brian Loughnane after she accused former leader Matthew Guy of assault, only for Victoria Police to find “no offence detected”.

Deeming announced late Wednesday that she had withdrawn the case, claiming the injunction “achieved exactly what it intended to achieve” - namely, giving her time to recover from jet lag and illness, review the facts, and learn the difference between a headlock and a “collar-tie grip”. She sent a 12-page mediation proposal to the party’s state executive, which now faces a choice: pursue mediation or proceed with disendorsement ahead of November’s state election.

CCTV footage from a May function showed Guy placing his hand on Deeming’s upper back as they leaned in to talk. Police reviewed the footage and concluded no offence occurred. Deeming originally accused Guy of grabbing her “violently” in a headlock but later clarified she “misunderstood the meaning of headlock”. Guy, for his part, said Deeming owes him a public apology, adding that he “vehemently denied” anything untoward took place. Liberal leader Jess Wilson declined to comment, citing the matter being “before the courts” - or at least it was until Wednesday.