STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS

Mr NEUMANN (Blair) (13:53): Last year in this place I raised concerns about the activities of the Plymouth Brethren, assaulting, harassing and abusing my constituents at prepoll and on election day, as well as campaign workers from other political parties. I referred this matter to the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters, and I've served on that committee.

They came to Ipswich, where it was quite clear from constituents who gave evidence there of the abuse, the following by cars and the enormous engagement by the Brethren. They say they've got 16,000 people, including women and children, in their church. There are 200 in Blair.

We estimate a thousand people were active in the campaign on behalf of the Liberal and National parties and their candidate. In the Liberal Party review of the election, they claim the Plymouth Brethren were a support group. What did the Liberal and National parties get out of this?

And why won't the Liberal Party give evidence to the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters? Clearly, there are questions to answer. They claimed there was some sort of spontaneous uprising of people who'd never voted—interested in politics for the first time ever.

I can tell you something, they were interested in getting rid of the Labor government and working hand in glove with the Liberal and National parties in a well-funded, orchestrated campaign against the people in my electorate. That's what they did. They continued to do it—destroying signs, defying the Electoral Commission again and again.

That's why they need to answer questions in this place, and the Liberal and National parties need to front up to the committee.