STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS

Ms TEMPLEMAN (Macquarie) (13:50): This week we mark the International Day of Democracy. It's a right that can too easily be lost. Less than 30 per cent of the world has that right.

Australians have fought in wars to maintain our freedoms and continue to put their lives at risk for our nation, and democracy is what underpins those freedoms. So I will speak out about threats to democracy, like those we saw in the 2025 election, where polling booths in Macquarie and across the country became places where the actions of the Plymouth Brethren changed the tone of election day and pre poll.

Having contested six elections, I normally welcome the easy banter with my opponents or locals passionate about the political system that we have. However, 2025 saw something new. We saw disproportionate numbers of new faces in blue T-shirts on many of my booths, crowding voters as they approached.

People told me they felt physically intimidated by the numbers handing out for the Liberal Party and by the comments that were made, as did some of my longstanding and sometimes elderly volunteers. I want to thank my constituent, Ben Woodbury, a former member of the group whose recognition of Brethren members on Macquarie booths made us aware of the activity.

Democracy matters. Our election rules matter. Every Australian should feel they can walk into a polling booth freely and exercise their right to vote.