‘Fake independents are recipe for chaos’, says Andrew Hirst

The architect of Scott Morrison’s successful 2019 election campaign says a vote for ‘fake’ pro-climate independents increases the risk of a chaotic hung parliament.

Liberal Party national director Andrew Hirst. Picture: AAP

Liberal Party national director Andrew Hirst – the architect of Scott Morrison’s successful 2019 election campaign – says a vote for “fake” pro-climate independents increases the risk of a chaotic hung parliament with Anthony Albanese as prime minister.

Mr Hirst said the Liberal campaign machine was preparing to highlight the deficiencies of independents funded by Simon Holmes a Court’s Climate 200 group. The attack from Mr Hirst came as the Prime Minister pushed his environmental credentials by promising $50m to support the koala population and $1bn for the Great Barrier Reef.

Mr Morrison said the government’s $50m investment would “enhance the protection of koalas by restoring koala habitat, ­improving our understanding of koala populations, supporting training in koala treatment and care, and strengthening research into koala health outcomes”.

Mr Hirst accused the Climate 200-backed candidates of being “far from independents” and were “co-ordinated and funded like a political party”.

“Many in their network hold extreme left-wing views, or have clear Labor links,” he said. “Funnily enough, this network only ­appears to be targeting government MPs and not Labor. A vote for these fake independents risks a Labor government and a chaotic hung parliament.

“We will be upfront in highlighting the risk of these fake independents.”

Mr Holmes a Court – who claims he is a Menzian Liberal who became disillusioned with the party’s climate change stance – told The Australian in December his Climate 200 organisation was on track to raise up to $20m to campaign against Liberal MPs at the next election.

This includes Allegra Spender in Wentworth, Kylea Tink in North Sydney, Sophie Scamps in Mackellar, Zoe Daniel in Goldstein, Despi O’Connor in Flinders and former Labor Party member Monique Ryan in Kooyong.

 

The Greens are also attempting to capitalise on perceptions the Coalition lacks ambition on climate policy, targeting the Melbourne seat of Higgins and the Brisbane seat of Ryan.

A war of words escalated ­between Liberal MPs and Mr Holmes a Court on Friday.

Liberal senator Sarah Henderson said Mr Holmes a Court should help pay for the legal costs of Michael Staindl, who faces bankruptcy after failing in his bid to convince the Federal Court that Josh Frydenberg was a Hungarian citizen and therefore ineligible to sit in parliament.

Senator Henderson said Mr Holmes a Court had “gone missing” despite offering moral support to Mr Staindl.

In response, Mr Holmes a Court said the Liberal Party had sent “their crumb maidens after me”.

Crumb maiden is a person who upholds power structures.

Senator Henderson said the “crumb maiden” sledge was “highly offensive”.

“Simon Holmes a Court’s ­misogynistic attack on me is further evidence that the independents movement is nothing more than a front for Labor and the Greens,” she said.

“It is a most disrespectful way to speak about any woman and he should apologise.”