MPs grill GetUp over hounding of Liberal MPs at 2019 election

GetUp has refused to rule out hounding Liberal MPs in public at the next election.

Federal Liberal MP Nicolle Flint in Adelaide. Picture: Keryn Stevens

GetUp has refused to rule out hounding Liberal MPs in public at the next election, as the left-wing activist group came under fire for its 2019 campaign.

Appearing before the joint standing committee on electoral matters on Wednesday, GetUp chief executive Paul Oosting ­denied his associates “bird-dogged” Liberal MP Nicolle Flint during the last election, despite his group giving out instructions on how to disrupt MPs by figuring out their exercise routines and going to their favourite coffee shops. A GetUp document on its website — which says it is sourced from an article titled “Bird Dogging Candidates” — tells activists to study their “target’s” movements and get in the MP’s path.

“The hardest part is figuring out where your target will be ahead of time … Do they have any routines you could use to your ­advantage? A John Howard-esque exercise schedule or a favourite coffee shop or cafe?” the GetUp material states. “Position yourself close to the candidate’s path, and ask your question as you’re shaking their hand.”

But when asked by Liberal MP Tony Pasin if he would commit to ending bird-dogging against ­Coalition candidates after Ms Flint was stalked during the campaign, Mr Oosting told the ­inquiry GetUp did not engage in bird-dogging as MPs described it.

“As you characterise bird-dogging, that is not the sort of activity GetUp engages in,” he said.

“I agree that it was in the training manuals but our focus (was) on making phone calls, reaching out to the public, holding public events. Bird-dogging was not a focus of our campaign … we condemn those behaviours.”

Mr Oosting then went on to say GetUp did disrupt a private fundraiser held by Ms Flint last year, with activists dressed up in paper mache heads resembling former prime minister Tony ­Abbott and Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton.

GetUp has repeatedly denied it was involved with now-­deceased activist Dave Walsh — who received a stalking caution from South Australian police over his targeting of Ms Flint — after the MP for Boothy said they worked “hand-in-glove” to disrupt her campaign.

Ms Flint said Mr Oosting’s testimony left her with no confidence other female MPs would not face similar aggressive campaign tactics at the next election.