STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS

Ms JORDAN-BAIRD (Gorton) (13:47): When it comes time to vote, every Australian deserves to know three things: who is trying to influence their vote, who they are working with and who is paying for it. At last year's federal election, members of the Plymouth Brethren church coordinated with the opposition to descend on polling booths across the country. In my electorate of Gorton, Liberal volunteers physically intimidated me, my volunteers and voters in my community.

They violated our personal space, yelled in the faces of voters and even followed volunteers home, forcing us to submit police reports. We have since heard deeply troubling allegations that Brethren members secretly funded far-right agitators to disrupt campaign events. But Senator Canavan described their conduct as par for the course in politics.

We on this side believe that we cannot and should not accept this conduct—covert political interference, disruption and intimidation—as part of our political system, and it is deeply troubling that there are members of this parliament who do not share this view. In my home state of Victoria, voters will soon go to the polls. They deserve to know whether the Brethren—or any other group working with secret networks—will be part of the campaign.

The federal and Victorian Liberal parties must tell voters: Have they met with Brethren leaders? Are they again coordinating disruption? Will Brethren members be sent into Victorian communities again?

People of every faith have a place in our democracy. Secrecy and intimidation do not.