Independent campaigning group Anyone But Nats say raid makes NSW electoral office look like it is ‘unwittingly doing the LNP’s bidding’

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

A third-party organisation trying to unseat New South Wales National party MPs is under investigation by the state’s electoral commission – a move that has spurred its organisers to target federal Nationals seats, specifically Barnaby Joyce’s seat of New England.

The commission has sent officers to the homes of co-founders of the newly formed third-party campaigner known as Anyone But Nats, which has urged voters to “put the Nats last” at the March state election.

Mudgee-based IT businessman Charles Tym said the commission had issued a notice under the state’s Electoral Act informing him that investigating officers would inspect his financial records regarding donations.

Two investigators arrived at Tym’s home on Thursday last week using the commission’s powers to determine whether the Electoral Act “is being or has been contravened”.

Tym’s wife, Melissa Tym, is listed as the official agent of the organisation and former 2015 Barwon independent candidate Rohan Boehm is a co-founder of ABN.

It is understood the officers visited another non-major party rural candidate in the same week about a number of complaints filed with the commission.

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A spokesman for the commission said the organisation did not comment on “specific compliance matters or whether it is investigating a matter”.

Charles Tym said he would not be intimidated by the investigation and promised to take the organisation to the federal election, with a specific focus on Joyce’s electorate.

“While the [commission] staff were professional and courteous, it was an unwarranted invasion of our privacy and bordered on an abuse of power,” he told Guardian Australia.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Charles and Melissa Tym of the Anyone But Nats group, which is targeting National party MPs

“Even before they arrived, I had sent them all the relevant information and the officer indicated it would be the end of the matter.

“It looks like the electoral commission are unwittingly doing the LNP’s bidding. It undermines the individual’s ability to get involved in the democratic process.

“As a result we have decided to target federal National party seats with a specific focus on New England.”

The commission officers told Tym they were investigating Anyone But Nats after a Guardian article on 24 October that stated his family had donated $20,000 to fund 400 advertising spots across regional television stations.

Tym said he wrote to the commission on 9 November confirming that all donations had been made and recorded in line with NSW electoral rules.

Though established specifically to oppose the National party, Anyone But Nats states on its website that it has “no affiliations with any registered political party and is registered with the NSW electoral commission as a third party campaigner”.

ABN grew out of the opposition to coal-seam gas projects in northern NSW and is pushing for action on climate change.

ABN has pledged to support any candidate that opposes the Narrabri gas project and publicly campaigns for a ban on that project; represents “faithfully the people and communities of regional NSW ahead of all big mining and fossil fuel industries (CSG and coal)”; and pledges to bring per-capita expenditure in NSW regions to the same level as Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong.

ABN has been holding candidate forums, hosted by Boehm, ahead of the state election. So far, these have been held in Gilgandra and Werris Creek – the home town of the former New England independent Tony Windsor.

There has been considerable interest in independents and minor party candidates in recent elections, with the Coalition government in a hung parliament and recent wins by independents in the federal seat of Wentworth, the Victorian state seat of Mildura and the move by former Liberal MP Julia Banks to the federal crossbench.

The National Farmers Federation president and Liverpool Plains farmer, Fiona Simson, has been urged to run as an independent against Joyce but she has not commented on the prospect.

Boehm said there was an appetite for effective independents in contestable seats, particularly in New England and particularly for women candidates.

“There was nothing better than those pictures of four women in federal parliament in the last week, when all the old farts got up and left it to them,” Boehm said, referring to the crossbenchers Cathy McGowan, Rebekha Sharkie, Kerryn Phelps and Banks.

“It’s the most encouraging appealing sign in democracy in 10 years. The electorate is becoming a bit insolent, nothing more than a complete upheaval will change this. The prospect of having a real vibrant democracy is based on having women in parliament.”

The NSW National party and Barnaby Joyce’s office have been contacted for comment.