The brand new Liberal candidate for the seat of Whitlam as soon as claimed college college students had been being “brainwashed” by Marxist and woke ideologies – regardless of changing one other candidate dumped by the social gathering for his controversial views.
The social gathering’s New South Wales department administrative committee confirmed on Sunday Benjamin Britton had been disendorsed after Guardian Australia revealed a string of controversial views on fringe podcasts final yr, together with that ladies needs to be banned from frontline roles within the navy and that the schooling system was “indoctrinating” younger Australians about Marxist ideologies.
A Liberal social gathering spokesperson mentioned Britton was dumped for “views expressed which were not previously disclosed and are inconsistent with the party’s position”, with Nathaniel Smith, a former MP for the NSW seat of Wollondilly, confirmed as his substitute.
Smith, a member of the social gathering’s spiritual conservative faction, held Wollondilly between 2019 and 2023 beneath the NSW Liberal authorities earlier than he was ousted by an unbiased challenger.
Smith’s maiden speech outlined his views on “political correctness” and “Marxist brainwashing” of college college students.
“Political correctness in this country has gone too far,” Smith mentioned in Might 2019.
“We saw a war on the coal industry just to appeal to the latte-sipping lefties who live in inner-city seats, with no regard for regional areas such as my electorate.
“I believe childhood is a period of innocence. I want to see schools teach core skills, not agendas. I want my children to learn about history, geography, mathematics, Western civilisation, science and the arts; not Safe Schools, gender fluidity and other forms of Marxist brainwashing.”
Smith mentioned Australians wanted to “recognise”, “embrace” and preserve Judeo-Christian historical past at school curriculums.
In response to questions from Guardian Australia about whether or not he nonetheless held these views, Smith mentioned he advocated for “better education standards for our kids”.
“Australia’s school students are falling further behind their international peers, while the Labor government is encouraging activism rather than making common sense improvements to the school curriculum,” he mentioned.
“A Liberal government will help get our education system back to basics by focusing on explicit instruction and other evidence-based teaching methods which prioritise reading, writing, maths and science.”
In 2019, the then-southern highlands MP visited a Melbourne rally in opposition to abortion, hosted by Bernie Finn, amid fierce debate over a invoice to decriminalise abortion in NSW.
At an August 2019 anti-abortion rally, Smith mentioned abortion shouldn’t be decriminalised.
“This is not an issue like a hip replacement, a nose job, a fake tan – this is a human being,” he mentioned on the time.
“This will not protect women, this should not be going into the health care act, it should remain in the crimes act.”
Smith’s pursuits embrace preserving Australia’s reliance on gasoline. Asic information present Smith was appointed director of a pro-gas pursuits group, co-directed by the chief government of a Beetaloo Basin gasoline firm, only a month earlier than he was introduced because the Liberal’s last-minute substitute in Whitlam.
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The Liberal social gathering had been approached for remark.
Smith, who can also be the chief government of Grasp Plumbers NSW, joined Australians for Pure Gasoline (ANG) as one among its three administrators in March, Asic information present.
Smith mentioned his position at each organisations allowed him to have interaction in trade debates and schooling on “the vital role gas plays in meeting the energy needs of businesses and households”.
“I make no apologies for standing up for the need to have more Australian gas for Australians,” Smith advised Guardian Australia.
The group describes itself as a “not-for-profit organisation representing the interests of Aussie households, industries, and producers” and helps the “expanded production and continued use of Australia’s abundant reserves of natural gas”.
Candidates aren’t precluded from holding directorships.
The group additionally lists the chief government for Tamboran Assets, Joel Riddle, as one among its administrators.
The US firm Tamboran Assets has gasoline operations within the Northern Territory’s Beetaloo Basin between Katherine and Tennant Creek.
Final yr, the corporate signed a nine-year deal to promote the NT authorities fracked gasoline, starting in 2026, with an choice to increase the deal for an additional six years to 2042.
The deal was introduced near a yr after the NT authorities mentioned manufacturing may start within the Beetaloo basin, regardless of science and power companies warning there might be no extra exploitation of recent oil, gasoline and coalfields if the world is to restrict international heating to 1.5C.
In a social media publish in December final yr, Smith shared a pro-nuclear publish, writing “it’s coming. Get ready for it” utilizing hashtags, “don’t question the science” and “until then, gas and coal are king”.
Lyndal Maloney, a former adviser for conservative political group, CPAC, can also be listed as a director for Australians for Pure Gasoline.
