Liberal MP Dan Cregan tables in parliament emails critical of party’s conservative Christian recruitment drive

A conservative state Liberal MP has tabled anonymous emails critical of his party’s Christian recruitment drive after a cryptic late-night speech to parliament.

An anonymous email containing “a cowardly attack” on a Liberal Party volunteer that was improperly circulated to hundreds of party members has been tabled in state parliament.

Kavel MP Dan Cregan said he had been approached by “members of (his) community” about emails from two unidentified senders.

One, from the address “NotHappyJan2021@gmail. com”, was directed at Mayo federal electorate committee president Rowan Mumford.

“I am angry about the way you are leading the Mayo team,” it says.

“You are involved in introducing hard-right Pentecostal Christians into the party … This is causing a lot of friction.”

The email put questions to Mr Mumford and signed off by saying he would need to “do better than this” to have a chance at becoming a candidate.

Kavel MP Dan Cregan. Picture: AAP/Keryn Stevens

The other email, which warned the party’s state director Sascha Meldrum of a “takeover” of the SA Division, was from senders identified only as “Jenny and Bruce”.

Mr Cregan tabled both emails in parliament on Thursday after his speech late on Wednesday.

Liberal sources speculated Mr Cregan had acted in a bid to shield himself from any fallout over their distribution.

Tabled documents are protected by parliamentary privilege so may not form the basis of legal proceedings.

The Advertiser has previously reported hundreds of Liberal Party members last week received the email from “NotHappyJan2021”, prompting the party to launch an investigation into alleged misuse of its contact lists.

Mr Cregan did not initially name Mr Mumford in his speech but told parliament he “knows this party unit president” referred to by “NotHappyJan2021”.

“He is a trusted member of our community and I respect and accept his judgment and work with him,” he said.

Later in the speech, he defended Mr Mumford by name.

“I am taking the step of addressing parliament to ensure that the important privileges this house affords me as a representative are also extended to all people who have approached me in relation to this matter and related matters,” Mr Cregan said.

“The people who have approached me are expressing a view and their concerns regarding the means by which they can more fully participate in the governance of our state and the operations of at least one of our major political parties.

“ Regardless of your views with respect to this matter, it is vital that community members can continue to approach me without fear of retribution.”

Federal Barker MP Tony Pasin, also a member of the party’s conservative wing, said he did not understand why Mr Cregan tabled the documents, given they were the subject of an active investigation.

“What I do know is that the email under investigation represents a cowardly attack on a hardworking Liberal Party volunteer and potentially amounts to serious criminal behaviour,” he said.