Plymouth Brethren leader denies directing 2025 campaign
Church leader Bruce Hales denies involvement in the 2025 campaign.
Bruce Hales is the global head of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church. Hales will testify Friday at a parliamentary inquiry.
Hales denies involvement in the 2025 federal election campaign. The church has about 16,000 members in Australia.
Multiple candidates reported unusually large numbers of Liberal volunteers at pre-poll booths. The church described itself as a "support group" for the Liberal Party in its own review.
Hales says he had no involvement. He did not ask anyone to campaign.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported the group paid neo-Nazi associates to harass MPs. It also reported that church members intimidated voters at booths nationwide.
Hales denies these claims. He also denies recording an audio message about booths being "manned" and volunteers being "fired up".
- approximately 16,000
- Australian members
- 2025 federal election
- Election
Why it mattersThis reveals alleged coordination between a secretive religious group and a major political party during an Australian federal election.
AustraliaDirectly affects Australian voter confidence and the integrity of federal elections, triggering a parliamentary inquiry into alleged interference.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 2 h ago
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