Liberal Party ‘captain’s pick’ Anna Finizio denies wanting to defund police as more wipe Twitter accounts

‘Captain’s Pick’ Liberal candidate for Hindmarsh, Anna Finizio, denies she wanted to defund police after wiping her Twitter account.

A ‘Captain’s Pick’ Liberal candidate for Hindmarsh has insisted she does not support defunding the police as new posts emerged questioning Australia’s treatment of asylum seekers.

Former Liberal staffer Anna Finizio, who believes putting criminals in jail “does not necessarily make us safer”, is the Liberal Party’s new candidate for the seat of Hindmarsh in South Australia.

After a radio interview emerged that was posted online with the hashtag #defundpolice, Ms Finizio said she did not support the plan.

“Nowhere in the interview did I endorse defunding police. That’s because it’s not my view,’’ she told news.com.au.

“I commenced a regular spot on Italian Radio in Adelaide in the early days of COVID-19 at the station’s request, to provide the Italian community with accurate factual information about the pandemic.

“The interviews included discussion about topical social issues. On this occasion, I was asked to explain the Black Lives Matter protest which were occurring in the US and the associated debate about funding law enforcement.

“Anyone who listens to the interview can hear that I did not promote defunding the police. I strongly advocated for programs with a focus on prevention of crime but not at the expense of police funding. I support programs which divert offenders from the justice system, especially juvenile offenders.

“I am a strong supporter of our law enforcement agencies.”

However, new posts have emerged from her deleted Twitter account where she questions Australia’s treatment of asylum seekers.

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Anna Finizio is the Liberal Party’s new candidate for the seat of Hindmarsh in South Australia.

“Do unto others - the importance of respecting international conventions #humanrights #asylumseekers #nauru,’’ she wrote in November, 2018.

The post linked to an article by SA Law Society President Tim Mellor who observed that “despite Tony Abbott’s ringing endorsement of Nauru as a “very pleasant island”, it is with a sense of relief that we see the recent moves being made to remove children from that situation.”

“The position of children in these conditions raises particular concerns. This presents a breach of Australia’s obligations under binding international conventions, both as to the rights of children and as to the treatment of refugees,’’ he wrote.

The Liberal Party in SA has only now confirmed its candidates in three key federal seats amid the fallout from its state election defeat.

A tweet from Anna Finizio that questions Australia’s treatment of asylum seekers.

On April 19, the SA branch revealed that due to “special circumstances”, a state executive meeting had endorsed Dr Anna Finizio for Hindmarsh, Shawn Lock for Spence and Kathleen Bourne for Kingston.

Dr Finizio immediately deleted her Twitter account.

But in a 2020 video posted online she “gives practical examples of what it can mean to partially #defund the police in favour of #prevention and #justicereinvestment”.

“It’s definitely been thought about over the years. It makes sense because I think the community is a lot safer if we are preventing crimes from happening rather than just putting people in jail,’’ she said.

“The underlying principle is let’s fund the social agencies … rather than putting that money into putting people into prison.

“I don’t think anyone wants to put people in prison.

“It’s very expensive to keep people in prison too. So from a community point of view, we’re not necessarily safer by putting people in prison if they’re not properly rehabilitated, if the issues that are leading them to commit crimes are not addressed.

“And I think, you know, in terms of the protests and the issues around black lives matter, Aboriginal people are disproportionately incarcerated in this country.”

Dr Finizio appeared in an interview with Dr Antonio Dottore, with video shared online in June 2020.

In June 2020, when the video was recorded. Ms Finizio was working as a policy lawyer for the Law Society of South Australia. She went to work as a ministerial adviser for the SA Minister for Police, Corrections and Emergency Services in September that year.

Dr Finizio is the second candidate in 24 hours to wipe her presence from social media.

“Captain’s pick” Liberal candidate for Parramatta, Maria Kovacic, deleted her Twitter account on Thursday night amid a national controversy over Katherine Deves’ claims that surrogacy is a “human rights violation” and that cross-dressing is linked to serial killers

Ms Kovacic’s account included posts criticising rugby player Israel Folau, and others slamming the Catholic Church in the wake of Cardinal George Pell’s original conviction for child sex assault.

The conviction was later overturned on appeal by the High Court.

Ms Kovacic’s deleted tweets remain archived online.

Parramatta Liberal candidate Maria Kovacic and Rydalmere FC president Peter Basha. Picture: Supplied

Prime Minister Scott Morrison with Anne Ruston (left) and Maria Kovacic, Liberal Candidate for Parramatta. Picture: Jason Edwards

In one deleted 2019 tweet, responding to a social media post by 2GB radio host Ben Fordham referencing former PM Tony Abbott’s description of the original conviction of Cardinal George Pell as a “shocking result”, Ms Kovacic said it was indeed a shocking result – but for a different reason.

“It is shocking,’’ she wrote.

“Because of what some of the most trusted people in the Church have done to innocent children.

“And then, the inaction of some that allowed it to continue. Shocking to the many faithful who have been let down in the worst way.”

In April 2020, the High Court overturned Cardinal Pell’s convictions for the historical sexual abuse of two choirboys while he was Archbishop of Melbourne.

Cardinal Pell was originally found guilty by a jury in December 2018 of five counts relating to the sexual abuse of two boys under 16.

Tweets from Parramatta Liberal Party Candidate Maria Kovacic

Tweets and replies from Parramatta Liberal Party Candidate Maria Kovacic

Criticism of Israel Folau

Posts that were deleted when Ms Kovacic’s account was shut down overnight include criticism of Israel Folau for the homophobic comments that ended his career.

Ms Kovacic dismissed the devout Christian’s complaints after he was unfairly sacked in 2019 for suggesting “hell awaits” gay people.

“It appears there’s some confusion between freedom of speech and freedom of consequences,’’ she wrote.

In another post, she responded to Sky News’ Rita Panahi, who wrote that she disapproved of his comments but would fight for his right to freedom of speech.

“That free speech includes the right of people to say they believe he’s wrong, including many people that do believe in God,’’ she wrote.

Maria Kovacic also zeroed in on Israel Folau.

“He signed a contract where he agreed to comply with certain behaviours. That’s the issue.”

In another post, Ms Kovacic responded to a story about a Muffin Break boss complaining: “Insta obsessed Gen Y had inflated self-importance.”

“Hmm maybe some have had it too good for too long with good old #GenX,’’ she wrote.

Parramatta, in Sydney’s western suburbs, is set to be a key battleground in the coming federal election.

Previously held for the last 20 years by Labor, it was one of the Prime Minister’s first stops on his campaign trail.

“She runs businesses in Western Sydney. She’s raised her family in Western Sydney. She’s Western Sydney, through and through,” Scott Morrison said of Ms Kovacic.

“Her opponent used to work for Kevin Rudd. I have known him for some time. He’s not from Western Sydney, he’s not of Western Sydney.”

Labor MP Julie Owens is retiring, with Scott Morrison painting Labor’s millionaire candidate Andrew Charlton as a blow-in.

When asked about Ms Kovacic’s deleted account, a spokesman for the Liberal Party told news.com.au: “Candidates have campaign social media accounts which they use during the election period.”

Originally published as Liberal Party ‘captain’s pick’ Anna Finizio denies wanting to defund police as more wipe Twitter accounts