Federal election: GetUp! finances reveal millions extra to attack Peter Dutton and Tony Abbott

New financial accounts show left-wing activist group GetUp! is amassing a multimillion-dollar war chest to attack Tony Abbott, Peter Dutton and George Christensen at the federal election.

Exclusive: Left-wing activist group GetUp! is amassing a multimillion-dollar war chest to attack Coalition MPs including Tony Abbott and Peter Dutton at the looming federal election.

GetUp!’s latest financial report, recently filed with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, shows donations rose about 20 per cent in 2017-18 to $9.8 million from $8.3 million.

According to the group’s annual report, to be released today, the jump was the product of an increase in the average donation — to $50 from $44 — along with a rise in the number of contributions to 65,000 from 57,000.

“It’s clear that when politicians bicker among themselves while blocking action on the issues that matter, like climate change, you’ll see an uptick in the number of people looking to have their voice heard,” GetUp! national director Paul Oosting said.

MORE: The scripts GetUp! gives to ‘calling party’ volunteers

GetUp!’s Paul Oosting at their headquarters in Sydney. Picture: James Croucher

“Everyday people are desperate for new ways to hold politicians to account and that is reflected in our accounts.”

Trends in earlier accounts suggest GetUp! enjoys a boost in donation rates in financial years containing a federal election, meaning it may be able to raise as much as $12 million in 2018-19.

“Certainly in election times, GetUp! members recognise the opportunity to effect change on the issues that are important to them,” Mr Oosting said.

GetUp! opposes new coal mines, offshore detention and Australia Day being on January 26. It fights for the ABC and a publicly funded clean energy retailer. It says Australia does not need “meaningful government surpluses”. Its policy section says this is because “a government who issues debt in a currency they control is never at risk of default”.

While it says its “work is driven by values, not party politics”, its main focus in 2019 will be getting rid of as many of high-profile members of the Morrison government as possible.

It is asking visitors to its website to “help determine which hard right MPs GetUp! targets in the upcoming federal election” by voting for the top three they want ousted.

The Home Affairs Minister Mr Dutton, who represents the north Brisbane seat of Dickson, is leading the vote, followed by Tony Abbott.

Peter Dutton, Federal Minister for Home Affairs. Picture: AAP Image/Darren England

GetUp! has already run “calling parties” into the former prime minister’s north Sydney seat of Warringah. North Queensland’s George Christensen is running third.

University of Sydney professor of political sociology Ariadne Vromen said these were high times for GetUp!, which she has studied.

“GetUp! is a significant factor in elections,” Professor Vromen said.

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Who GetUp! is targeting

Peter Dutton

GetUp!’s enemy No.1. There’s even a social media hashtag: #DitchDutton. His north Brisbane seat of Dickson is vulnerable on a margin of two per cent. GetUp! has trained volunteers interstate to ring into Dickson to persuade people to “boot” the Home Affairs Minister, who GetUp! describes as a bigot and “terrifying”

Tony Abbott

The former prime minister is No.2 on the GetUp! hit list. There have already been co-ordinated “calling parties” aimed at swing voters in his north Sydney seat of Warringah by GetUp! volunteers. The voters were identified using GetUp!’s sophisticated data analysis

George Christensen and Tony Abbott talk after Question Time. Picture: Kym Smith

George Christensen

In the GetUp! website vote asking who should be targeted, the north Queensland MP is running third, ahead of Barnaby Joyce and other higher-profile MPs. GetUp! says Christensen “associates with extreme racist groups” and did not support same-sex marriage

Originally published as Federal election: GetUp! finances reveal millions extra to attack Peter Dutton and Tony Abbott