GetUp ‘infiltrated’ anti-Abbott alliances a year ago

GetUp and its supporters began targeting Tony Abbott’s seat of Warringah more than 12 months ago.

Tony Abbott campaigns at the Spit Bridge on Tuesday. Picture Supplied

GetUp and its supporters began targeting Tony Abbott’s seat of Warringah more than 12 months ago with outside organisers in an effort to infiltrate local community groups and assume a lead co-ordinating role in efforts to oust the former prime minister at this year’s federal election.

The Australian can confirm that Ray Yoshida, GetUp’s lead organiser, was a prominent figure in setting up the “North Shore Environmental Stewards” in Mr Abbott’s north-side Sydney electorate to mobilise disillusioned Liberals and other locals who believed he was blocking action on climate change.

Mr Yoshida is not a Warringah local and his main work as lead organiser for GetUp’s action hub is focused in Queensland and northern NSW.

The long-time activist was deeply involved in organising the Stewards’ inaugural meeting at Seaforth, in the heart of Mr ­Abbott’s electorate, last March.

Using social media, he urged ­locals to become part of a “unique campaign to create big change right here in the north shore”.

Another founder of the Stewards is Christina McPhail, a professional activist formerly with 350.org and now head of youth-based group Climate Leaders that has just endorsed Mr Abbott’s independent opponent Zali Steggall.

The most prominent local behind the Stewards, which vetted Ms Steggall with two other local groups as the independent candidate with the best chance of defeating Mr Abbott, was Liberal Party member and Mosman clean energy businessman Rob Grant.

The Stewards’ first meeting last March was attended by several senior Liberals in the party’s moderates faction opposed to Mr Abbott, including powerbroker Michael Photios, NSW Liberal MP Felicity Wilson and former NSW Liberal executive member David Begg.

GetUp made no secret of its efforts to co-ordinate with local Warringah groups late last year to find a local independent, which culminated in all backing barrister and former world champion alpine skier Ms Steggall, but its involvement more than a year ago indicates the resources it intended putting into ousting Mr Abbott.

Ms McPhail said she introduced Mr Yoshida to the Stewards and backed the group when she briefly stayed in Warringah because local interest in environmental issues seemed to be “beach clean-ups and not much else”.

Mr Abbott said yesterday he had no doubt that “green-left” organisations such as GetUp had tried to manufacture a groundswell in Warringah by creating a number of “front” organisations.

A spokeswoman for GetUp said: “Tony Abbott’s inaction on climate change is the No 1 reason Liberal voters are deserting him for other candidates. Why is (he) attacking local community groups? This shows he isn’t just out of touch with his party, he’s out of touch with his community.”