Brethren Church denies paying influencers to harass election candidates

The Plymouth Brethren Christian Church has denied allegations it secretly paid people to disrupt Labor's re-election campaign last year in a coordinated effort involving far-right influencers and tracking candidates.

The Nine Newspapers are reporting members of the wealthy Christian lobby group, formerly known as the Exclusive Brethren, engaged figures including influencer Laurence McIntyre, who yelled at Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on the first day of the campaign.

Appearing before a Senate inquiry Lloyd Grimshaw, a director of the church, claimed that it was church members themselves who were victims of "extraordinary attacks" at polling booths.

"Much was made of the fact that some individuals in the church volunteered during the election, and that was used to justify it becoming open season on the Christian brethren," he said.

Mr Grimshaw said allegations were a "complete lie" and denied the church made donations to political parties or third parties.

"The story makes not one specific allegation about a specific member of our church," he said.

"Without names, it doesn't even make a threshold for gossip. It's a tale."

He said there was a "very strong" volunteering culture in the church, and insisted members all had "normal reasons" for volunteering, including wanting to support a candidate they believed in, or help with the election-day barbecue.

"Not every person in a blue shirt, with a side part, or with a bow in their hair was a member of the Brethren church," he said.

Line must be drawn on intimidation

Ahead of the inquiry, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said it was essential to Australia's democracy to "draw a line" on the alleged behaviour, particularly regarding physical intimidation.

"There are countries throughout the world where people get paid to engage in physical intimidation around election time, and the thought that Australia has been added to that list should send a chill among everyone who loves this country," he said.

"No-one should underestimate a democracy as cherished as ours shifting to a pathway where physical intimidation gets paid for because of your political views."

He said he had been spending an "increasing" portion of his time dealing with threats against people who work at or are associated with the federal parliament, alongside the Australian Federal Police.

"We need to draw a line under this," he said.

Mr Burke called on the Liberal Party to explain what they knew about the Brethren during the campaign, and said One Nation must also "explain if they are welcoming these same individuals."

Nationals MP and former deputy prime minister Michael McCormack said while the allegations should be investigated, the union movement was also responsible for harassment at polling booths.

He did not provide a specific example but said he had previously been "pushed and heckled and spat on" and described it as an "unfortunate part" of being a Coalition member.

"People from the unions turn up to polling booths. It's been happening since the year dot and if anyone denies that, they are just kidding themselves," he said.

"I think the very far right and the very far left of politics are both dangerous, frankly.