6 days Ago By Olivia Ireland, Michael Bachelard
Electronic billboards urging voters to restore Australia’s spirits and put Labor last have appeared across crucial electorates, echoing a message by a separatist Christian sect campaigning for the Liberal and National parties. This masthead reported on Monday that the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, formerly known as the Exclusive Brethren, dispatched hundreds of its members to pre-polling booths in marginal seats where they have used the slogan: “Make Australia smile again.” The electronic billboards, which are mounted on trucks or stationary, use the phrase “Make Australia Happy!“, sometimes with a smiley face emoji or the logo of an organisation called Australian Firebrand.
They have been spotted in the south-western Sydney electorate of Werriwa and Bennelong in the city’s north, as well as Boothby in Adelaide and Hume in regional NSW. ASIC records show that Australian Firebrand was established in April by an Edwina Bull, who is listed as authorising the ads under electoral law. Other political advertisements from Firebrand include an ad labelling Prime Minister Anthony Albanese a liar that aired on Sky News and water bottles with anti-Labor messages.
The signs calling on voters to “Make Australia Happy Again” use slightly different language to that of the brethren’s catchcry, and there is scant information about who is behind them. The church did not respond to requests for comment. Firebrand Australia, which has just 23 likes and 52 followers on Facebook, was also contacted for comment.
Advertising from “Australian Firebrand”, a previously unknown group (it was first set up in April 2025) urging people to put Labor last on their ballots at the May 3 election. Members of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church typically do not vote and are led by Sydney-based “Man of God” Bruce Hales, who preaches a “hatred” for people outside the church. Women are treated as second-class citizens and homosexuality is not tolerated.
A Brethren spokesman previously told this masthead that the church did not campaign for or support any political parties and had “not organised or co-ordinated any volunteer efforts of any type in any location” but said some of its members were supporting candidates of their own accord. On Tuesday, Dutton said the Liberal Party had not recruited people from any particular religion. “We’re a volunteer-based organisation,” he said.
“People can volunteer and provide support to their local Liberal National Party candidate. I’d encourage them to do that.” “We’re not discriminating against anybody on the basis of their religion.
” Members of the controversial church received messages after this masthead’s story on Monday guiding them on how to handle media queries. “Please don’t feel like you have to respond on behalf of our church. You can just say that you don’t want to, and that’s fine,” one message reads.
“If you would like to comment, you could make the point that your religion has nothing to do with the political activities you may have chosen to participate in.” Another message tells brethren members they can object to people asking what church they attend. “I’m volunteering for ‘xxx’ [sic].
It’s my right to volunteer,” the message suggests brethren members respond. Campaign workers in five marginal seats in Victoria and NSW told this masthead they had encountered 20 or more Brethren members wearing Liberal or National campaign T-shirts at early voting booths handing out how-to-vote cards, some of whom identified themselves as members of the sect. The seats – Kooyong, Gorton, Hawke, Gilmore and Calare – are held by Labor or independents.
Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter ..
