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| New Liberal candidate for Whitlam claimed ‘Marxist brainwashing’ happening at Australian schools | New Liberal candidate for Whitlam claimed ‘Marxist brainwashing’ happening at Australian schools |
| (33 minutes later) | |
| Nathaniel Smith, previously a NSW state MP, is a member of the party’s religious conservative faction | Nathaniel Smith, previously a NSW state MP, is a member of the party’s religious conservative faction |
| The new Liberal candidate for the seat of Whitlam once claimed school students were being “brainwashed” by Marxist and woke ideologies. | The new Liberal candidate for the seat of Whitlam once claimed school students were being “brainwashed” by Marxist and woke ideologies. |
| Nathaniel Smith, a former MP for the NSW seat of Wollondilly, replaces another candidate dumped by the party for his controversial views. | Nathaniel Smith, a former MP for the NSW seat of Wollondilly, replaces another candidate dumped by the party for his controversial views. |
| The party’s New South Wales branch administrative committee confirmed on Sunday Benjamin Britton had been disendorsed after Guardian Australia revealed a string of controversial views on fringe podcasts last year, including that women should be banned from frontline roles in the military and that the education system was “indoctrinating” young Australians about Marxist ideologies. | The party’s New South Wales branch administrative committee confirmed on Sunday Benjamin Britton had been disendorsed after Guardian Australia revealed a string of controversial views on fringe podcasts last year, including that women should be banned from frontline roles in the military and that the education system was “indoctrinating” young Australians about Marxist ideologies. |
| A Liberal party spokesperson said Britton had been dumped for “views expressed which were not previously disclosed and are inconsistent with the party’s position”, with Smith confirmed as his replacement. | A Liberal party spokesperson said Britton had been dumped for “views expressed which were not previously disclosed and are inconsistent with the party’s position”, with Smith confirmed as his replacement. |
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| The new candidate, a member of the party’s religious conservative faction, held Wollondilly between 2019 and 2023 under the NSW Liberal government before he was ousted by an independent challenger. | The new candidate, a member of the party’s religious conservative faction, held Wollondilly between 2019 and 2023 under the NSW Liberal government before he was ousted by an independent challenger. |
| Smith’s maiden speech outlined his views on “political correctness” and “Marxist brainwashing” of school students. | Smith’s maiden speech outlined his views on “political correctness” and “Marxist brainwashing” of school students. |
| “Political correctness in this country has gone too far,” Smith said in May 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. | “Political correctness in this country has gone too far,” Smith said in May 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.” | “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 said Australians needed to “recognise”, “embrace” and maintain Judeo-Christian history in school curriculums. | Smith said Australians needed to “recognise”, “embrace” and maintain Judeo-Christian history in school curriculums. |
| In response to questions from Guardian Australia about whether he still held these views, Smith said he advocated for “better education standards for our kids”. | In response to questions from Guardian Australia about whether he still held these views, Smith said 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 commonsense improvements to the school curriculum,” he said. | “Australia’s school students are falling further behind their international peers, while the Labor government is encouraging activism rather than making commonsense improvements to the school curriculum,” he said. |
| “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.” | “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 against abortion, hosted by Bernie Finn, amid fierce debate over a bill to decriminalise abortion in NSW. | In 2019 the then-southern highlands MP visited a Melbourne rally against abortion, hosted by Bernie Finn, amid fierce debate over a bill to decriminalise abortion in NSW. |
| At an August 2019 anti-abortion rally, Smith said abortion should not be decriminalised. “This is not an issue like a hip replacement, a nose job, a fake tan – this is a human being,” he said at the time. | At an August 2019 anti-abortion rally, Smith said abortion should not be decriminalised. “This is not an issue like a hip replacement, a nose job, a fake tan – this is a human being,” he said at the time. |
| “This will not protect women, this should not be going into the Health Care Act, it should remain in the Crimes Act.” | “This will not protect women, this should not be going into the Health Care Act, it should remain in the Crimes Act.” |
| Smith’s interests include preserving Australia’s reliance on gas. Asic records show Smith was appointed director of a pro-gas interests group, co-directed by the chief executive of a Beetaloo Basin gas company, just a month before he was announced as the Liberal’s last-minute replacement in Whitlam. | Smith’s interests include preserving Australia’s reliance on gas. Asic records show Smith was appointed director of a pro-gas interests group, co-directed by the chief executive of a Beetaloo Basin gas company, just a month before he was announced as the Liberal’s last-minute replacement in Whitlam. |
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| Smith, who is also the chief executive of Master Plumbers NSW, joined Australians for Natural Gas as one of its three directors in March, Asic records show. | Smith, who is also the chief executive of Master Plumbers NSW, joined Australians for Natural Gas as one of its three directors in March, Asic records show. |
| Smith said his role at both organisations allowed him to engage in industry debates and education on “the vital role gas plays in meeting the energy needs of businesses and households”. | Smith said his role at both organisations allowed him to engage in industry debates and education 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 told Guardian Australia. | “I make no apologies for standing up for the need to have more Australian gas for Australians,” Smith told Guardian Australia. |
| The group describes itself as a “not-for-profit organisation representing the interests of Aussie households, industries, and producers” and supports the “expanded production and continued use of Australia’s abundant reserves of natural gas”. | The group describes itself as a “not-for-profit organisation representing the interests of Aussie households, industries, and producers” and supports the “expanded production and continued use of Australia’s abundant reserves of natural gas”. |
| Candidates are not precluded from holding directorships. | Candidates are not precluded from holding directorships. |
| The group also lists the chief executive for Tamboran Resources, Joel Riddle, as one of its directors. The US company Tamboran Resources has gas operations in the Northern Territory’s Beetaloo basin between Katherine and Tennant Creek. | The group also lists the chief executive for Tamboran Resources, Joel Riddle, as one of its directors. The US company Tamboran Resources has gas operations in the Northern Territory’s Beetaloo basin between Katherine and Tennant Creek. |
| Last year the company signed a nine-year deal to sell the NT government fracked gas, beginning in 2026, with an option to extend the deal for a further six years to 2042. | Last year the company signed a nine-year deal to sell the NT government fracked gas, beginning in 2026, with an option to extend the deal for a further six years to 2042. |
| The deal was announced close to a year after the NT government said production could commence in the Beetaloo basin, despite science and energy agencies warning there can be no more exploitation of new oil, gas and coalfields if the world is to limit global heating to 1.5C. | The deal was announced close to a year after the NT government said production could commence in the Beetaloo basin, despite science and energy agencies warning there can be no more exploitation of new oil, gas and coalfields if the world is to limit global heating to 1.5C. |
| In a social media post in December last year, Smith shared a pro-nuclear post, writing “it’s coming. Get ready for it” using hashtags, “don’t question the science” and “until then, gas and coal are king”. | In a social media post in December last year, Smith shared a pro-nuclear post, writing “it’s coming. Get ready for it” using hashtags, “don’t question the science” and “until then, gas and coal are king”. |
| Lyndal Maloney, a former adviser for the conservative political group CPAC is also listed as a director for Australians for Natural Gas. | Lyndal Maloney, a former adviser for the conservative political group CPAC is also listed as a director for Australians for Natural Gas. |