Aaron Smith Profile picture
Nov 20 13 tweets 5 min read
This thread is about connections, and shows how religious infiltration in the Victorian Liberals is pervasive.

It also reveals examples of positions that motivate the infiltration.

Let's start with Cynthia Watson, Liberal Candidate for Ringwood, and see where we end up.

1/13
In 2018, Cynthia was elected a Liberal Party Delegate, with husband Elliot. Both are Mormons.

They’re linked to Marcus Bastiaan’s ultra-conservative religious recruitment drive.

Maryke Rancie, anti-safe schools campaigner and Ivan Stratov, both Mormons were also elected.

2/13
Many elected as delegates in 2018 actively campaigned against marriage equality in 2017.

Maryke Rancie campaigned along side Heidi McIvor, Pastor at City Builders church, the subject of tonight's 60 Minutes religious infiltration report.

McIvor is 3rd in this tv ad.

3/13
Ivan Stratov, a doctor said 'I studied a disease called HIV; 35M people died from that disease because they decided they were going to make man’s love, not God’s love'.

Despite quitting the faction, he's back influencing the Liberals in Mornington.

4/13

I don't know how active Cynthia was campaigning against Marriage Equality, but I do note this Facebook contribution, right on message, in line with Lyle Shelton's fear campaign, and obviously shares a similar message to McIvor's tv ad above.

5/13
Cynthia, despite standing in Ringwood, is a councillor in Boroondarra.

At a recent council meeting, Cynthia wouldn't support the motion below for Wear it Purple day.

Wear it Purple aims to foster, safe, empowering and inclusive environments for LGBTIQ+ people.

6/13
Multiple reports have indicated that Cynthia Watson's Liberal volunteers are handing out the brochure below.

The brochure is authorised by Gender Awareness Australia, a transphobic group run by Kirralie Smith.

Cynthia should speak to this. On to Kirralie....

7/13
A prolific campaigner against marriage equality, Kirralie was also a candidate for Bernardi's Australian Conservatives, and Australian Liberty Alliance, the political offshoot of the Q Society, which describes itself as Australia's leading Islam-critical movement.

8/13
In an incredible coincidence, Kirralie Smith wrote in support of the pre-selection of Moira Deeming.

This appeared on Kirralie's website, but over the past week, this page has been mysteriously removed.

Moira was also endorsed by Katherine Deves and the ACL.

9/13
Cynthia's husband Elliot isn't a stranger to controversy either.

Elliot was asked to explain his association with Neil Erikson, far-right extremist and self-proclaimed neo-Nazi, on a trip to Queensland that was part of a recruitment drive for the LNP.

10/13
Although, when you consider that Cynthia as part of the current election campaign, published a photo of herself and a man wearing a t-shirt showing Dan Andrews in prison, Cythia's husband's dalliance with far right extremists might be a normal day at the office.

11/13
Mormons recruited via branch stacking activities, meetings with far right extremists, failing to support positive motions for the LGBTIQ community, accepting endorsements from transphobes.

It's all in the public domain. None of it is new or news.

12/13
Again, for posterity, here is the original thread outlining a strategy for religious infiltration in the Victorian Liberals.

The question that remains is, why are Liberals who should know better staying silent? They need to end this.

13/13

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More from @Aaronsmith333

Nov 16
Moira Deeming epitomises religious infiltration in the Victorian Liberals.

There's a lot missing from Moira's profile. Perhaps Liberal HQ can refer to this thread and add it?

Reportedly, Deeming has been banned from speaking to the media, so this thread can fill you in.

1/11
Moira's Liberal Party profile doesn't mention Moira was Secretary for anti-abortion group, 'March for the Babies'.

Listen to 19 seconds of Moira at their anti-abortion rally. Note who Moira thanks.

Deeming will vote to stop women accessing abortion.

2/11
Moira also likes to turn up to Council meetings, posing as a member of the public, to ask questions related to her crusade to stop transgender people from using public toilets.

This is missing from Moira's profile too.

3/11

meltonmoorabool.starweekly.com.au/news/melton-co…
Read 11 tweets
Nov 14
1 minute away! Tune in to listen to @mel4hawthorn with @LaTrioli on 774!

#hope4hawthorn
#mel4hawthorn

abc.net.au/melbourne/live
A sea of teal here this morning to support @mel4hawthorn on 774 with @LaTrioli.

#hope4hawthorn
#mel4hawthorn Image
Here we go! Image
Read 4 tweets
Nov 1
This is a thread about technology and unfathomable stupidity by the Victorian Liberals.

When I was 14, my year 9 Business Studies teacher gave me a punishment consisting of writing 'I will not be disruptive in class' 400 times. I had until the following morning to complete.

1/9
I went home, typed out the line once on my Commodore Amiga, spent 30 seconds copying and pasting it 400 times, and smiled as the lines rapidly appeared on my Dot Matrix printer.

I handed in the printed document the following morning to my easily impressed teacher.

2/9
If yesterday afternoon's Victorian Liberal Party Media release is anything to go by, I suspect that everyone in Liberal HQ, and @johnpesutto's team would be as amazed at my 14 year old copy / paste routine today, as my year 9 teacher was in 1990.

3/9
Read 9 tweets
Oct 31
Q. What's the difference between Lyle Shelton's Christian Family First party and the Victorian Liberals?

A. Lyle and his party don't try to hide their bigotry, or disregard of science or their desire to forcefully impose a particular brand of religion on every Victorian.

1/4
As Lyle's Christian party announces the roll back on the ban on discredited and unfathomably cruel Gay Conversion therapy, it's worth remembering there are many in the Liberal National coalition who want to do this same.

Here's Tim Smith and Bernie Finn arguing about it.

2/4
When Matt Guy won the leadership, he appointed James Newbury as Shadow Minister for Equality. James wanted to firm the party's support for a ban on gay conversion therapy.

Nationals leader Peter Walsh said 'James can go and get f*&cked'.

3/4
Read 4 tweets
Oct 29
I've been sitting on a document, unsure what to do with it.

I've decided to share it today.

I'm not prone to exaggeration, but if this document is true, it throws doubt on the legitimacy of Victorian Liberal candidates, and the party by extension. #springst

1/10
I'm sharing the document because I think everyone should know about it, but more importantly to encourage journalists to ask serious questions.

I'm told that Senior Liberals are familiar with this document, and if true, that's deeply troubling.

2/10
I understand people will want to know the source of this document. I've received it on the condition of not identifying that person.

I will say however, that the individual who provided it is a 'blue tick' twitter user, so is therefore not anonymous.

3/10
Read 11 tweets
Oct 27
Queenslander Peter Dutton, in one of the most embarrassing moments in Australian Parliamentary history yelled out 'where's Yeppen?' in an attempt to mock and humiliate Anthony Albanese, thinking that Albanese couldn't pronounce 'Yeppoon'.

1/4
Dutton's gaffe was so embarrassing, that left to stand as it was, would've plagued him for the remainder of the term.

Liberal spin-masters acted quickly, and set about reframing, so, Albanese the bully was invented, and a press conference called.

2/4 Image
In trying to cheaply humiliate Albanese, Peter Dutton humiliated himself.

In a case of, 'who are you going to believe, the Liberal spin-masters, or your very own ears and eyes?', I don't think anyone believes Michelle Landry's Dutton cover routine.

3/4

Read 4 tweets

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