The lady doth protest too much, methinks.

Day 20 ️

“spin-off of the US-based #CPAC – short for Conservative Political Action Conference – the #Sydney-based outfit described itself as a “values-based” organisation that “espouses the best of #Howard, #Reagan and #Thatcher while exploring new ideas and themes for the coming generations”.

Guests at the August event included #OneNation senator Pauline Hanson, Michelle Pearse, the CEO of the #AustralianChristianLobby, and broadcaster and soon-to-be alleged sex offender, #AlanJones.

Overseas talent included Jay Aeba, chairman of the Japanese Conservative Union and Heather Wilson, mother of six and co-founder of #GiveSendGo, a #Christian #crowdfunding network which has helped raise money for #NeoNazis and #AntiVaxxers”

“Then, in 2018, investment banker and long-time #ClimateConspiracist Maurice Newman, billionaire storage king Sam Kennard, and David Adler, of the #FarRight Australian Jewish Association (AJA), got together to form #AdvanceAustralia. Money was no problem: #HedgeFund manager and #Liberal Party donor Simon Fenwick tipped in $190,000; a further $400,000 came from Sydney #Establishment couple Rodney and Judith O’Neil, and the Taylor #winemaking family.

Advance pitched itself as a champion of the #SilentMajority – #HowardsBattlers 2.0. But its real concerns were better expressed by another early backer, #hotelier James Power, who was then engaged in a battle to prevent women from becoming members of #Brisbane’s #Tattersall’s Club.”

If you noticed a darker turn to the election this week, here’s a good explanation of the WHY and HOW. Also I see Tony got a new job.

#AusPol / #LNP / #Nationals / #Australia <https://archive.md/wY3Cn> / <https://theage.com.au/national/copied-the-maga-model-the-grassroots-lobby-group-funded-by-some-of-australia-s-richest-20250408-p5lq6k.html> (paywall)