Lead
The Coalition has launched an extraordinary attack on a parliamentary committee reviewing Australia's 2025 federal election, labelling its treatment of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church a "hyper-partisan witch-hunt". The accusation came as the committee's interim report recommended new laws to police behaviour at polling booths, citing an escalation in antisocial behaviour driven in part by third-party groups.
Coverage comparison
Two outlets covered the story with notably different framing. ABC Australia focused on the Coalition's attack, with its headline emphasising the "hyper-partisan witch-hunt" label and describing the committee as "Labor-dominated". The Guardian, by contrast, led with the committee's call for new laws, framing the election as an "assault on democracy" by third parties and criticising both the third parties and the Coalition's response.
Both outlets reported the core facts: the committee's report made 14 recommendations, including a mandatory code of conduct for campaigners, and found an escalation in antisocial behaviour at polling booths. The Coalition's dissenting report condemned what it described as aggressive, obstructive and intimidating behaviour — though it directed its criticism at the committee's conduct toward the church.
Key claims
The joint standing committee on electoral matters received dozens of reports about the conduct of members of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, who turned out en masse in support of Liberal candidates in marginal seats. The church has acknowledged some of its members were involved in the campaign but denied it was organised by the church, saying it was a mainstream Christian church established about 200 years ago and did not organise or coordinate any volunteer or donation efforts.
The committee's interim report, tabled on Tuesday afternoon, found last year's federal election marked an escalation in antisocial behaviour at polling booths, driven in part by so-called third-party groups, which had an "almost universally corrosive" impact on voters. High-profile incidents included police being called to a dispute.
The committee's chair, Labor MP Jerome Laxale, said in a speech to parliament that what occurred "felt like an assault on our democracy, especially in targeted seats". He described reports of disruption by third parties, including the Plymouth Brethren and Advance, as "a fundamental disruption to the foundations of our free and fair voting process." The report itself did not name the groups but said a "significant proportion" of reports of antisocial behaviour at polling places came from such groups.
The Coalition's dissenting report, from senators Richard Colbeck, James McGrath and Ben Small, accused the Labor-dominated committee of using the inquiry as a "political weapon", undermining its status as a bipartisan committee focused on administering elections. In a section titled "Less Inquiry, More Hyperpartisan Witch Hunt", the report said: "Of particular concern is that the conduct of one of the Parliament's most serious Committees has been reduced to a partisan witch hunt of Australians based on their religious faith. Coalition Members are deeply troubled of the pursuit by any political party against another group based on their religion, ethnicity, gender or creed."
The dissenting report also noted that Peter Jordan, husband of Kooyong MP Monique Ryan, was not summoned to appear after being caught removing a Liberal candidate's election sign, and drew attention to homophobic insults made by the father of committee chair Jerome Laxale towards Liberal Party volunteers at a polling place — insults Laxale later apologised for.
Liberal senator Jess Collins said the church's treatment by Labor was "a stain on our democracy". "The way that they have been treated by Labor for exercising their right to participate in our political process is a stain on our democracy," she said.
Perspectives
Coalition: The inquiry has been reduced to a partisan witch-hunt against the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, targeting Australians based on their religious faith. The committee's conduct undermines its bipartisan purpose.
Committee chair (Jerome Laxale): The election saw third-party groups, including the Plymouth Brethren and Advance, disrupt the electoral process. New laws are needed to ensure the process is safe, fair and inviting for all voters.
Plymouth Brethren Christian Church: The church is a mainstream Christian church established about 200 years ago. It did not organise or coordinate any volunteer or donation efforts; some members were involved in campaigns but not in an organised capacity.