Wentworth candidate Dave Sharma asked former Israeli intelligence officer to look into smear campaign
Liberal candidate for the Wentworth electorate, Dave Sharma, has enlisted a former Israeli intelligence officer to help track down a serial spammer circulating racist and anti-Semitic spoof emails in the run-up to the federal election.
A former Israeli intelligence officer has been called in to help track down a serial spammer circulating racist, homophobic and anti-Semitic spoof emails in the run-up to the federal election.
Liberal candidate for the Eastern Suburbs electorate of Wentworth Dave Sharma enlisted ex-cyber security specialist Adi Ashkenazy after emails falsely claimed he was facing a year in jail for not disclosing that his father was from Trinidad and Tobago.
The emails also bizarrely suggested he would end a supposed global conspiracy to cover-up molestation by the church and establishment.
Independent Wentworth MP Kerryn Phelps was also a target of the spammer, with at least six emails sent to tens of thousands of people since October falsely claiming she had HIV and accusing her of spreading measles and protecting paedophiles.
Mr Ashkenazy, who runs local cyber security firm Skylight Cyber Security, has now tracked the source of the emails to a single server in Sydney.
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He intends to hand his information over to the Australian Federal Police, saying it would be relatively simple for AFP officers to find the spammers street address from the web host.
The AFP spent last week assessing whether to investigate the hoax emails.
The emails have twice been referred to the AFP in the past, including during the October by-election, which decided on both occasions there was insufficient evidence to pursue an investigation.
Mr Sharma, who met Mr Ashkenazy when he was Australia’s ambassador to Israel, thinks the emails have “all the hallmarks of foreign interference”, although he has previously suspected white nationalists.
He said: “Whether it’s foreign interference, white nationalists or just someone having a lark, it is harmful and corrosive.
“It turns people away from the political class who might think politics is all about slinging mud.”
The spammer showed sophisticated technical know-how by choosing a web host offering a free trial, which didn’t ask for identification or bank details routinely required by larger hosts.
“Whoever’s doing this has strong IT knowledge and went to a great effort to hide their tracks,” Mr Ashkenazy said.
The spammer started the email subject lines with “FWD” to give the recipient the false impression a grassroots campaign is gaining momentum, according to Mr Ashkenazy.
The spammer has used spoof email addresses, using fake names and real businesses, including Yellow Pages and Gold Coast-based dance studio Raise Your Voice.
Raise Your Voice director Celisa Urech said: “It’s frustrating because my privacy has been completely exploited. I don’t want to be associated with that kind of hate.
“I’m concerned my business, which is a performing arts workshops for children, has been dragged into it.”
MUM’S THE WORD
Ask Liberal candidate Fiona Martin how she feels about entering federal Parliament while being a mum to four children, including a 14-month-old, and the answer is short: “Would you ask a man that?”
The high-profile child psychologist, who is hoping to win the marginal seat of Reid against Labor candidate Sam Crosby, attributes her shot at launching a parliamentary career to her close family.
“I have a very supportive husband and a very supportive mother,” Ms Martin said.
“I believe it takes a village to raise a child.
“My eldest daughter, who is 13, is so excited about her mother running for parliament and telling everyone at school. My two oldest children are very proud of me.”
As for asking a man about juggling politics and parenting, the same question was asked of former Labor premier Morris Iemma more than a decade ago. The father-of-four was accused of being a “part-time premier” after responding that he would try to dedicate Sundays to being a dad.
LEADER DASH
Punters seated in the public gallery of Parliament House last week were surprised to see prospective Labor leader Chris Minns join them on Tuesday.
Minns, who remains the favourite to win the leadership ballot despite facing several challengers, blamed a breakdown for his tardiness.
“Unfortunately there was a breakdown on the M5 Tuesday morning throwing out our commute, which meant I was late,” he told The Sauce.
“I sat in the gallery in order not to disturb the occasion by stumbling in after the ceremony had started.”
Minns was not the only VIP guest in the gallery — on Wednesday, former premiers Barry O’Farrell and Nathan Rees were also spied on the balcony.
Still on leaders, dumped former Labor leader Michael Daley turned up for the first day of parliament, only to be a no-show on Wednesday and Thursday. A Labor source said the Maroubra MP had been struck down by the flu.
UNLIKELY BEDFELLOWS
For eight years, Greens MLC David Shoebridge and Christian Democrat MLC Fred Nile have inhabited adjacent offices on level 11 of Parliament House.
The only sign of possible tension between the pair has been the stickers and posters stuck to their doors — Nile’s being adorned with Christian material while Shoebridge’s was decorated with rainbows, watermelons and union posters.
But with Nile losing his right-hand man Paul Green at the March state election, the long-serving Christian Democrat was moved out of his suite into a single office down the corridor. As for who moved in?
Despite the Animal Justice Party adding another member and potentially needing a larger office, Shoebridge turned up to his office to see a new sticker on Nile’s old door — One Nation.
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