Church denies paying influencers
The Plymouth Brethren Christian Church has denied allegations it secretly paid people to disrupt Labor's re-election campaign last year in a coordinated effort involving far-right influencers and tracking candidates. The denial came from Lloyd Grimshaw, a director of the church, during an appearance before a Senate inquiry.
The allegations, reported by Nine Newspapers, claim the church—formerly known as the Exclusive Brethren—engaged figures including influencer Laurence McIntyre, who yelled at Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on the first day of the campaign. The church also refuted claims it had coordinated hundreds of volunteers to support Liberal candidates, including at polling booths across the country.
'Complete lie', says church director
Grimshaw told the inquiry that the reporting by Nine was a "complete lie."
"My church did not make any donations or support in any way political parties or third parties who were involved in the election," he said.
"As I recall, this story doesn't point to one amount of money, one detailed transaction, one quote, one communication between my church, or even an individual member of my church, and one politician or political party, or third party … It doesn't even meet a threshold of gossip."
Grimshaw further claimed that the story "makes not one specific allegation about a specific member of our church," adding, "Without names, it doesn't even make a threshold for gossip. It's a tale."
He alleged that church members themselves were victims of "extraordinary attacks" at polling booths, saying, "Much was made of the fact that some individuals in the church volunteered during the election, and that was used to justify it becoming open season on the Christian brethren."
Volunteer culture defended
Grimshaw said there was a "very strong" volunteering culture in the church and insisted members all had "normal reasons" for volunteering, including wanting to support a candidate they believed in or help with the election-day barbecue. He acknowledged that some members did volunteer at the election but for "pretty normal reasons," such as backing their local candidate or being worried about the economy.
He also said multiple church members had contacted him about how they were treated at polling booths, with some facing "aggressive questioning" and "verbal abuse" over their involvement.
Addressing the perception of widespread church presence, Grimshaw stated: "Not every person in a blue shirt, with a side part, or with a bow in their hair was a member of the Brethren church."
Grimshaw denied that the church had instructed volunteers, facilitated payments, or chartered planes or moved people to support Liberal candidates. He confirmed that the church did not participate in the 2025 election campaign "in any way, shape, or form," adding, "There was not one single cent paid from the church."
He also questioned why a director's private political activity is conflated with the church, calling it a "perfectly legitimate, normal, democratic thing" done in a private capacity. Grimshaw criticised the prime minister's description of the Brethren church as a "cult," saying, "Not only is it offensive, but it's completely untrue, and it's hurtful."
Political reactions and inquiry findings
Ahead of the inquiry, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said it was essential to Australia's democracy to "draw a line" on the alleged behaviour, particularly regarding physical intimidation.
"There are countries throughout the world where people get paid to engage in physical intimidation around election time, and the thought that Australia has been added to that list should send a chill among everyone who loves this country," Burke said.
Burke also said he had been spending an increasing portion of his time dealing with threats against people who work at or are associated with the federal parliament, alongside the Australian Federal Police. He called on the Liberal Party to explain what they knew about the Brethren during the campaign, and said One Nation must also "explain if they are welcoming these same individuals."
Nationals MP and former deputy prime minister Michael McCormack, however, pointed to unions as responsible for harassment at polling booths. McCormack said he had been "pushed and heckled and spat on" and described it as an "unfortunate part" of being a Coalition member. He added that "the very far right and the very far left of politics are both dangerous, frankly."
The electoral matters committee, in its interim report, claimed democracy was "under assault" from third parties including the Brethren church and right-wing lobby group Advance. The Labor-chaired committee recommended a new code of conduct for campaigners.
The Coalition accused Labor of turning the election inquiry into a "hyper-partisan witch-hunt" against members of the church. Nationals leader Matt Canavan claimed the Labor party was weaponising the inquiry against the Brethren church and "launching a war" against those of religious faith.
"I find these attacks on people of faith in our country completely unbecoming of an Australian government in our democracy," Canavan told News 24. "What I saw this morning at this committee is an attempt to apply collective guilt to people of a certain religious faith. And the Labor party here seems to be seeking to apply collective guilt."
Background on Laurence McIntyre
The allegations centre on Laurence McIntyre, who was filmed heckling the prime minister. McIntyre has been previously pictured with neo-Nazi figures Joel Davis and Blair Cottrell, and was reported by the ABC to be an organiser for a March for Australia anti-immigration rally in 2025.