Victorian Liberal party president Greg Mirabella says he would have told suspended MP Moira Deeming not to attend the "let women speak" rally on the steps of Victorian parliament that ended as a platform for neo-Nazis.
He also told Q+A that Ms Deeming — who said she never condemned rally organiser Kellie-Jay Keen, aka Posie Parker — told him she should have exited when she saw the neo-Nazi group.
Ms Deeming was suspended from the Liberal party room for nine months for her involvement in a rally in Victoria.
She said she accepted her suspension, and condemned the views held by the group that performed Nazi salutes at the 'Let Women Speak' rally.
Mr Mirabella was called upon to answer whether Ms Deeming's actions had played a part in the Coalition losing the Aston by-election.
He came to the defence of the controversial MP.
"I have no doubt if Moira had her time over she wouldn't have been there," Mr Mirabella said on Monday night.
"I don't think she should have been there.
"If she had asked my advice I would have said 'don't'.
"Her biggest mistake on the day, because she told me when she saw the police cordon let the neo-Nazis through, she should have disengaged."
However, Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth and activist Deni Todorovič questioned Ms Deeming's decision to attend the rally in the first place.
Ms Rishworth said it was folly for Ms Deeming to be there.
"When it comes to the protest, there's a lot made out of whether or not people knew the neo-Nazis were coming," she said.
"What was being pushed on the steps of Parliament House was really about division, about hate.
"It was about not inclusion.
"And I think for politicians, particularly politicians professing to come from mainstream parties ... you can't be dividing people and existing on hatred."
It was a sentiment that Todorovič, a trans person, echoed, as they claimed Ms Deeming had gotten off easy with her suspension from the party room.
"What happened at the steps of parliament with Posie Parker was like something out of The Handmaid's Tale," Todorovič told Q+A.
"Trans people aged 14 to 25 are 15 times more likely to take their lives.
"If someone from the Liberal Party is going to and stand next to Posie, I don't know what the excuse was, whether you knew the neo-Nazis were getting to be there or not, you shouldn't be there.
"And frankly by being there, you are by proxy approving an anti-trans rhetoric of which is literally Posie's MO.
"Moira should have been expelled [from parliament] and I think she got off way too easily."
Mr Mirabella later attempted to defend Ms Deeming by saying she was "pro women".
He said he believed politicians who attended protests and demonstrations put themselves in difficult situations.
"As a general rule it's political wisdom [not to attend protests]", he said.
"I've seen where politicians are at an event and a bunch of people move in behind them with banners and you get ambushed.
"Whatever you might think of Moira's opinions she got ambushed and it didn't play well.
"Politicians as a general rule shouldn't do demos."
'All lives matter'
Todorovič reiterated they believed Ms Deeming should not have been there before dropping a surprising comment Mr Mirabella's way.
"Greg, love you, doll ... and I get very passionate and think you're a little bit hot," they said.
While that elicited some response from the Melbourne studio audience it was Todorovič's final act of the show that drew the biggest cheers as they called for equality.
"Moira is suspended for nine months ... I would personally like to donate my services to you just for 90 minutes to come to your party and explain to you why the gender diverse community of Australia needs your support," Todorovič offered Mr Mirabella.
"I have no beef with anyone, so it's all about questions, no question is a dumb question or a silly question.
"Most of my community are being assaulted, murdered, raped or erased by the sporting industry, by politics or just by some random idiot who strolls out of a nightclub and yells at us.
"[So] ask questions, be open.
"We're all people, literally all lives matter."
