Victoria Police has closed its investigation into an assault allegation made against state Liberal MP Matthew Guy, with the force’s finding recorded as “no offence detected”. Guy, a former leader of the Victorian Liberal Party, appeared visibly emotional outside state parliament on Friday morning and called publicly on fellow Liberal MP Moira Deeming — who lodged the complaint — as well as Premier Jacinta Allan and Attorney-General Sonya Kilkenny, to apologise to him.
The development marks a significant escalation in what has become one of the most publicly bitter internal disputes the Victorian Liberal Party has seen in recent memory, playing out not in the party room but on the steps of parliament and in police records.
What Victoria Police found #
Victoria Police said in a statement that officers assessed the complaint and concluded there was no offence detected. Under Victorian law, a “no offence detected” outcome means investigators determined the available evidence did not disclose a criminal offence had occurred — it is a formal administrative classification, not a finding of a civil court, but it does mean no charges will be laid arising from the complaint.
Victoria Police did not publicly name either party in its original statement, consistent with standard practice for matters that do not proceed to charge. VCN understands the complaint related to an alleged physical incident between the two MPs, though the precise nature of what was alleged has not been confirmed by police in any public document.
It is important for readers to understand that a “no offence detected” finding does not amount to a judicial determination. It reflects an investigative assessment by police — not a verdict by a court. At the same time, it means no criminal proceedings will be initiated against Guy arising from this complaint.
Guy speaks outside parliament #
Addressing reporters on Friday, Guy said he had been waiting for the police process to conclude before making any public comment. “There was no ambiguity. I did not do what was alleged,” Guy told reporters, according to statements made publicly at the press conference.
Guy said he was calling on three people to apologise: Deeming, for making what he characterised as a false allegation; Premier Allan, whom he accused of referencing the matter in a way he considered prejudicial; and Attorney-General Kilkenny, for similar reasons. He did not elaborate in detail on what specifically the Premier and Attorney-General had said that he objected to, though both are senior members of the state Labor government.
Guy’s appearance was notable for the visible emotion he displayed — a departure from the typically controlled register of parliamentary press conferences. He described the period of the investigation as personally distressing.
Deeming’s position #
As of the time of publication, Moira Deeming — the Liberal MP for Western Metropolitan Region in the Legislative Council — had not publicly responded to Guy’s demand for an apology. VCN sought comment from her office and had not received a response before deadline.
Deeming has been a polarising figure within Liberal ranks since she was briefly suspended from the parliamentary party in 2023, a decision Guy himself announced at the time following her attendance at a rally that drew significant public controversy. Her relationship with Guy has remained publicly fractious since that episode. The current complaint represents a further deterioration in that relationship.
It is not known at this stage whether Deeming maintains that the incident she reported to police occurred as she described it, or whether she intends to make any public statement in response to the police finding. VCN will update this report if she does.
What happens now — can Deeming face consequences? #
A question many readers will have is whether Deeming faces any legal or parliamentary consequences for having made a complaint that police found did not disclose an offence.
In short, the answer is: not automatically, and probably not easily. Making a complaint to police that is not substantiated is not in itself a criminal offence, unless it can be proven that the complainant knowingly made a false statement with intent to mislead — a high bar requiring its own separate investigation and prosecution. Victoria Police has given no indication it is pursuing that avenue.
Within the parliament, MPs enjoy broad protections under parliamentary privilege for things said in the chamber, but those protections do not extend to complaints made to external bodies such as police. Whether the Liberal party room or its leadership takes any internal action against Deeming is a matter for the party, not the courts or police.
Guy is a private individual in relation to defamation law, not a public figure in the American legal sense — though as a sitting MP he does occupy a public role. Whether he has grounds for a civil defamation action arising from any public statements Deeming made about the allegation would be a matter for lawyers to assess, and VCN is not in a position to speculate on that question.
The broader Liberal party context #
The dispute is unfolding against a backdrop of sustained internal tension within the Victorian Liberals. The party has been working to rebuild following its heavy defeat at the 2022 state election, in which Guy led the party to a loss that saw Labor returned with a commanding majority under then-Premier Daniel Andrews.
Guy did not recontest the Liberal leadership after that loss, stepping back from the frontbench. He remains the MP for Bulleen in Melbourne’s north-east. His relationship with various factions of the party has been complicated since his departure from the leadership, and the dispute with Deeming has added a very public and personal dimension to those tensions.
The party is currently led by John Pesutto, who has his own ongoing legal battles with Deeming — Pesutto is defending a defamation action brought by Deeming in the Supreme Court of Victoria, a matter that is currently before the courts and on which VCN has reported separately. That proceeding is entirely separate from the police complaint involving Guy.
Premier and Attorney-General respond #
Premier Jacinta Allan and Attorney-General Sonya Kilkenny were both named by Guy in his call for apologies. Both are senior Labor figures and have been political opponents of Guy throughout his career. Neither had issued a formal public response to Guy’s specific demand at the time this article was published. VCN sought comment from the offices of both ministers.
Guy did not specify during his press conference what precise public statements either minister had made that he considered warranted an apology, making it difficult for VCN to assess and report on the specific basis of those demands. We will seek to clarify this and update accordingly.
What readers should know about how this works #
Victorian readers unfamiliar with how police complaint processes operate should note several things. When a person makes a complaint to Victoria Police alleging a criminal offence, police are required to assess it. That assessment can result in charges being laid, the matter being referred elsewhere, or — as in this case — a finding that no offence is disclosed by the available evidence.
At no point during this investigation was Guy charged with any offence. He is, and has been throughout, presumed innocent. The police finding that “no offence detected” is consistent with his public statement that the allegation had no basis.
The making and resolution of a police complaint does not prevent either party from speaking publicly about their experience, subject to the usual laws of defamation and any applicable court orders. There is no suppression order affecting this matter that VCN is aware of.
VCN will continue to follow this story as it develops, including any response from Deeming, and any further statements from the parties or their representatives.
The matter does not involve current criminal proceedings. All persons named in this report are presumed innocent of any wrongdoing unless and until a court determines otherwise.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this report, the following services are available around the clock: Lifeline 13 11 14 | Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636 | 1800RESPECT 1800 737 732 | Safe Steps (family violence) 1800 015 188 | Sexual Assault Crisis Line 1800 806 292 | 13YARN (First Nations Australians) 13 92 76 | Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000.
