GetUp! forced to tell truth after leaked secret dossier reveals anti-Frydenberg tactics

Left-wing activist group GetUp! will stop asking its volunteers to accuse Treasurer Josh Frydenberg of being “part of the coup” that ousted Malcolm Turnbull after the leak of a secret dossier detailing its misleading tactics.

GetUp! volunteers’ tactics have been revealed in a secret leaked handbook. File image

Left-wing activist group GetUp! will stop asking its volunteers to accuse Treasurer Josh Frydenberg of being “part of the coup” that ousted Malcolm Turnbull.

The group today said it would remove the suggested line from its “calling conversation guide” after the Herald Sun revealed it was deliberately attempting to mislead voters in the Melbourne seat of Kooyong.

FRYDENBERG UNDER PRESSURE IN KOOYONG

GETUP! FINANCIAL SUPPORT ON THE RISE

GetUp! amended its instruction guide after the group’s boss was caught in an gaffe-riddled radio interview where he could not justify claims that Mr Frydenberg was one of the plotters against Mr Turnbull.

“To avoid any confusion … we’ve updated a line about last year’s leadership change,” a spokesman said.

Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has slammed GetUp! tactics. Picture: AAP Image/Ellen Smith

“This has been done to ensure climate change is always positioned front and centre as the number one issue and nothing else is used as a distraction.”

On Wednesday, the Herald Sun revealed that a secret leaked dossier by GetUp! ordered its volunteers to lie to wavering Kooyong voters that Mr Frydenberg helped to bring down Malcolm Turnbull, telling them how to ­respond if a constituent says he is a “good person”.

The document laid out the Left-wing group’s dirty tactics in the inner-Melbourne seat, ordering its volunteers to tell voters that GetUp! “does not support any party or a ­candidate”.

But volunteers were then told to suggest voters “take a look” at the policies of independent candidate Oliver Yates, despite other independents being in the race.

GetUp! is targeting Liberal MPs across Victoria, including Health Minister Greg Hunt and former minister Kevin ­Andrews.

GetUp! suggests voters “take a look” at independent Kooyong candidate, Oliver Yates.

In Kooyong, volunteers were also instructed to tell voters Mr Frydenberg, with Peter Dutton and Tony Abbott, was “part of the coup” that removed Mr Turnbull from office.

Mr Frydenberg supported Mr Turnbull in the ballot last August and remains close with the former prime minister.

If a voter says they like Mr Frydenberg personally, they were told to say: “Mr Frydenberg might be a nice person, but he is part of a bad government. Malcolm Turnbull was a nice person, too … if (he) couldn’t make any change on our values or our issues — how will Josh Frydenberg?”

Group members were also given a list of “bad things Josh Frydenberg has done”, which includes the claim that he “failed to get any real action on ­climate change”.

“He’s part of the chaos in Canberra. He’s in Coalition with Peter Dutton, Tony ­Abbott and Barnaby Joyce,” the guide says.

Mr Frydenberg yesterday accused GetUp! of doing the “dirty work” of Labor.

“I have no time for them. They are not impartial. We’ve been talking to lots of people in the electorate and the feedback is very positive,” Mr Frydenberg said.

VANDALS DEPICT JEWISH TREASURER AS HITLER

The group, which has thousands of active members, is also set to cold-call voters in Kooyong in the lead-up to the election.

A GetUp! spokeswoman yesterday told the Herald Sun members had been targeting electorates for “weeks”.

“Conversation after conversation is confirming that everyday people are thirsting for political leadership on a range of issues, such as making our climate safe for our kids and strengthening our public health system,” she said.

It comes as Prime Minister Scott Morrison was yesterday forced to defend an under-fire Liberal candidate for the Victorian seat of Chisholm over homophobia claims.

Gladys Liu is under pressure for describing LGBTI ­issues as “ridiculous rubbish” and arguing same-sex ­marriage is “against normal practice”.

Mr Morrison said Ms Liu had led an “amazing Australian life” and he was proud to launch her campaign.

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