Independent senate candidate David Pocock has again taken to social media to defend himself against a "smear campaign" by a right-wing activist group.
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Corflutes suggesting the former rugby union star was secretly a Greens candidate appeared around Canberra on Tuesday morning.
The ads were put up by Advance Australia, a murky conservative political group, which are behind a series of controversial campaigns targeting left-leaning and independent candidates this federal election.
Mr Pocock said the signs were portraying "false" claims he was supporting the Greens Party, adding it was part of a "deliberate scare campaign by Advance Australia".
He said his office had been "flooded with calls and emails" from Canberrans, who were "confused and outraged" by the signs.
The Canberra Times revealed last month former long-serving Liberal MLA Vicki Dunne had joined as one of the group's directors in early 2020.
Ms Dunne, once a member of the conservative right faction of the Canberra Liberals, had allegedly relinquished her party membership just nine days before officially joining the activist group's leadership team.
A truck depicting Chinese leader Xi Jinping as casting a vote for the Labor Party, and organised by Advance Australia, sparked controversy shortly before the election was called, resulting in the Australian Electoral Commission issuing it a warning.
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The electoral oversight body had asked for the controversial image to change a tick on the ballot paper to a number following concerns it could lead to promoting invalid votes.
The commission has repeatedly said it does not have powers to determine the truthfulness of political advertising, instead focusing its efforts on authorisation requirements.
The Advance Australia group has also emerged during the 2022 federal election period as a major spender on online political advertising.
It spent $25,000 on ads attacking Labor, independents and the Greens in the seven days to April 23.
Advance Australia's political messaging has centred around national security and China's rising power in the region.
It has also targeted a push from progressive parties to introduce drug harm minimisation strategies and show support for trans athletes.
The conservative group raised $2.7 million in donations in the 2020-21 financial year and had spent more than a million on campaigns.
Sarah Basford Canales
I'm a federal politics and public sector reporter with an interest in national security, integrity and regulation. Contact me with general tips and thoughts at sarah.basfordcanales@canberratimes.com.au or confidential tips to sbasfordcanales@protonmail.com.
I'm a federal politics and public sector reporter with an interest in national security, integrity and regulation. Contact me with general tips and thoughts at sarah.basfordcanales@canberratimes.com.au or confidential tips to sbasfordcanales@protonmail.com.
