Far-Right activist Neil Erikson ‘made up’ story about meeting Liberal MP Andrew Hastie

Far-Right activist Neil Erikson has claimed he made up a story about having a “secret meeting” with Liberal MP Andrew Hastie as payback against the media and the Coalition.

Far-Right activist Neil Erikson has claimed he made up a story about meeting Liberal MP Andrew Hastie as payback against the media and the Coalition.

Mr Hastie said during the election campaign he was confident he had never met Mr Erikson after he claimed online he had a “secret meeting” with the Western Australia MP.

Mr Hastie’s colleague, Ian Goodenough, said at the time the two MPs had a “brief” encounter with Mr Erikson, a co-founder of the United Patriots Front, but there was no meeting.

Far-Right activist Neil Erikson. Picture David Geraghty

Liberal Member for Canning Andrew Hastie. Picture: AAP

Mr Erikson has now posted a video on Youtube saying he made up the story about a meeting to protect outgoing right-wing Queensland senator Fraser Anning.

“As you know, Fraser Anning copped a bit of grief for myself hanging out around him at the St Kilda rally, and at his meeting in Moorabbin where he was egged,” Mr Erikson said.

“He can’t help who comes and supports him.

“I wanted to clear the way for Fraser Anning — about a month, a month-and-half before the election … I didn’t want the media using me to attack him.

“I made up that I met Andrew Hastie and Ian Goodenough at the South African rally in Perth.

“Now Andrew Hastie is a top bloke, got nothing against him, but he is a member of the Liberal Party and that fit my narrative so I had to do it.”

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Mr Hastie last month said he “never sought to nor agreed to meet with Mr Erikson” at the Perth rally in April, 2018.

“I’m confident that I did not encounter him on the day. I find his views abhorrent and his views should not be given a platform,” Mr Hastie said.