Anti-abortion MP Bernie Finn expelled from Liberal Party by Victorian colleagues
Controversial MP Bernie Finn has been expelled from Victoria's parliamentary Liberal Party, weeks after he expressed strong anti-abortion sentiments.
His Liberal colleagues this morning voted to oust him at a party room vote, which Finn did not attend.
The move forces Finn onto the crossbench in the upper house of the Victorian Parliament.
READ MORE: Liberal MP Bernie Finn speaks out ahead of vote to expel him from the party
Opposition Leader Matthew Guy said Finn's membership had been "discontinued".
"This is not something the party undertook lightly," he said.
"The Victorian Liberal Party welcomes a wide and diverse range of views.
"But it also reasonably expects all members to be team players and uphold standards in their public discourse."
Guy said it was a disappointing outcome but added it was about Finn's behaviour, not his beliefs.
"It's about the Liberal Party not navel-gazing from a federal election or other issues, it's about moving on and being a sensible alternative government," he said.
"It's disappointing it has come to this but I expect discipline from all members of the party and it is about respectful behaviour."
Leading the anti-abortion March for Babies rally, Finn attracted backlash after he insisted pregnancies that were the result of rape should not be terminated.
Finn was not present for the meeting but addressed media and supporters outside parliament following the decision.
About 50 supporters applauded Finn by chanting "hero" and thanked him for his service.
"I joined the Liberal Party over 41 years ago, at 19 years of age, it was the party of freedom, the party of human rights," Finn said.
"What we have seen today is a statement from the leader of our party, that the party I joined over forty years ago, is dead.
"That's the problem we have, the party is no more in Victoria."
Speaking to 9News yesterday, on the eve of the vote, Finn took shots at his colleagues.
Finn has been a member of the Legislative Council since 2006.
He was the member for the now-abolished lower house seat of Tullamarine between 1992 and 1999.