In another tweet, from September, Deves replied to journalist Georgie Dent, who had quoted an opinion piece published in the Herald and The Age accusing Morrison of an act of chutzpah for reserving the keynote address at the National Womens Safety Summit.

Maybe he [Morrison] identifies as a woman? Deves quipped.

Deleted tweets from the account of Liberal candidate for Warringah, Katherine Deves.Credit:Internet

The NSW Liberal Party was contacted for comment. Deves has previously issued apologies for the language she has used in conducting her campaign, as well as for any hurt caused, though she did not resile from her beliefs.

Morrison was not asked directly about Deves surrogacy comments at his daily election campaign press conference on Thursday but continued to defend her and said he had spoken to her earlier with words of encouragement.

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Katherine is campaigning and Ive been in contact with Katherine again today encouraging her, Morrison said.

He also denied leaking a text message from NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet expressing support for Deves, suggesting it could have been leaked by one of the close colleagues he had spoken with about the matter.

When I was speaking to some close colleagues in the Liberal Party on the weekend, they asked me whether Dom had been in contact, and I simply said that he had, Morrison said on Thursday.

I hadnt shared any text messages or anything like that, I just said he had been in contact. We didnt and they didnt [leak the message].

Deves was the prime ministers hand-picked candidate for the seat amid an internal Liberal stalemate over candidate preselections in NSW. Nominations closed on Thursday, with Deves now certain to appear on the ballot paper.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg was asked about some of Deves recently-revealed comments while he was campaigning with Liberal MP Trent Zimmerman.

There is a legitimate discussion that has been had by the community about participation in sport, having a level playing field, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said. But as for [Deves] comments, they were inappropriate, insensitive, unacceptable.

She cancelled a scheduled appearance at a community forum in Manly on Tuesday night where she was due to appear alongside other candidates including incumbent MP Zali Steggall.

It followed days of coverage of Deves comments about transgender issues in tweets and videos, including calling LGBTQ initiative Wear It Purple Day a grooming tactic, saying trans children were surgically mutilated and speculating Canadian actor Elliot Page was paid to come out as transgender.

Original post:
Deves said surrogacy is reproductive prostitution and violates human rights - Sydney Morning Herald