Peter Malinauskas warns against ‘Americanisation’ of politics as Turning Point Australia launches in SA
Support for a right-wing American advocacy group surged after Charlie Kirk’s shooting – now Mali has a warning as it branches into SA.
Peter Malinauskas has cautioned against the Americanisation of domestic politics after a state co-ordinator was appointed for Turning Point Australia, the local affiliate of the late Charlie Kirk’s right-wing advocacy group.
Turning Point Australia on Monday announced the appointment of social media influencer George-Alexander Mamalis as its state co-ordinator for South Australia.
Mr Mamalis – who has worked as a staffer for David Speirs, Sarah Game and Alex Antic – has more than 182,000 followers on Instagram, where he posts conservative commentary videos under his brand The Adelaide Set.
The 31-year-old is the first state co-ordinator to be engaged by the locally managed group, which is licensed under a brand agreement with the popular Trump-aligned organisation Turning Point USA, according to its website.
The Premier on Tuesday described the group’s entry into SA as “interesting”, but said he didn’t believe South Australians were interested in seeing a “polarisation” of politics like in the United States.
“I know there are elements of the far-right who are very determined to bring the Americanisation of politics to South Australia,” Mr Malinauskas told reporters.
“I don’t think that’s a great thing, but it’s a free and liberal democracy, and people are able to express their opinions and views and that shouldn’t be shied away from.
“I’m not going to worry about what’s going on the fringe of politics.”
Mr Mamalis said the claim his group wanted to Americanise local politics was a “lazy label”.
“Free speech, individual liberty and accountability aren’t American ideas, they’re universal democratic values,” he said.
“It’s disappointing to see the Premier fall into this trap of labelling every new conservative or grassroots effort as American.”
He stressed the group was not a political party, describing its purpose as to “facilitate the broader conservative movement in the state”.
Former One Nation turned independent MP Sarah Game, who employed Mr Mamalis for three months to help boost her social media presence, described him as “totally passionate” and “completely dedicated”, adding they had remained friends after he moved on from working for her.
“George is passionate about holding politicians to account and trying to change state politics,” she said.
Ms Game said she had not yet spoken to Mr Mamalis about a potential collaboration between her new party Fair Go For Australians and Turning Point, but that she was “really interested to have those conversations”.
“We’re very aligned,” she said.
Turning Point Australia head Joel Jammal said the organisation would look at running open community events, youth workshops, debates and speaker nights in South Australia.
In Mr Mamalis’ social media videos, which have featured Adelaide City councillor Henry Davis and One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts, he has criticised digital IDs, net zero, Australia’s immigration policies and moderate elements of the Liberal Party.
In 2023 he became engaged to Adelaide Instagram queen Taydam Knowles.
Turning Point USA said it had received tens of thousands of inquiries from people wanting to start new chapters at high schools and colleges after Charlie Kirk was fatally shot in September, The New York Post reported.
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