Advance Australia character called ‘one of the dumbest ideas I’ve seen’ and likened to anti-cancer initiative shaped like a testicle

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

A large-headed, orange-clad superhero designed to put pressure on progressive lobby group GetUp has instead been ridiculed for being too confusing and boosting GetUp’s image.

Captain GetUp is an initiative launched on Tuesday by rival conservative lobby group Advance Australia to attack GetUp in a range of key seats at the federal election.

The suited superhero, which Advance Australia described as “political satire”, will tour the country telling voters that GetUp “manipulates” political parties and “increase[s] political correctness”.

On Tuesday, a person in a Captain GetUp suit handed out flyers in the electorate of Warringah, where the former prime minister Tony Abbott is facing a challenge from the independent Zali Steggall.

The battle between Tony Abbott and Zali Steggall just got closer Read more

Advance Australia, which formed in November 2018 as the right-wing counter to GetUp, has officially endorsed Captain GetUp as political campaign material. The group has authorised the character on its newly launched Twitter and Instagram accounts.

Captain GetUp wears his name emblazoned on his chest and sports a cape bearing the official logos of the Labor and Greens parties, as well as the message “proudly supporting Labor, the Greens and your local independent”.

GetUp seemed unfazed by the campaign tactic. A spokesman said the group “already had thousands of everyday superheroes – people around the country determined to make a difference on the issues they care about”.

But journalists and commentators were crueller, and quick to make fun of Captain GetUp’s knotted logic.

James Mathison, a 2016 independent candidate for Warringah and current campaigner for Zali Steggall, said Captain GetUp had encouraged him to donate more to GetUp.

James Mathison (@jamesmathison) This is brilliant. I’d actually forgotten to donate to GetUp with the upcoming election, so thanks for the reminder Captain. Your doing gods work!

Columnist for The Australian Troy Bramston said it was “one of the dumbest ideas I’ve seen in politics”.

Others drew comparisons to mascots outside car dealerships and other oversized novelty items. An early Instagram post from Captain GetUp also spelt “Labor” wrong.

James Jeffrey (@James_Jeffrey) Captain GetUp (prototype) pic.twitter.com/3f8umvbVrp

Bec Shaw (@Brocklesnitch) captain getup has convinced me...i will buy one of the cars on sale at the getup car yard

Eliza Berlage (@verbaliza) Captain GetUp is authorised by Advance Australia aka Conservative GetUp. On instagram stories you can watch him do push ups at Manly ferry terminal. Also the account spelt Labor wrong. pic.twitter.com/DF7203aC7z

William Summers (@william_summers) From a campaigning perspective 'Captain GetUp' seems a terrible idea and will surely only raise the profile and influence of the actual GetUp campaign https://t.co/xxStN3p7z9

Advance Australia’s national director, Gerard Benedet, said the criticism from Mathison proved the organisation was right about GetUp.

“This is exactly what we have been saying and James [Mathison] has given everyone further proof that Zali [Steggall] is a GetUp candidate and a fake independent,” he said.

He also thanked critics for “the additional publicity”. “Awareness of GetUp and their agenda is critical to ensure Australians wake up to GetUp. Political satire is a well-used medium and has proven to be very effective in cutting through the noise of an election campaign.”

It appears Advance Australia has been paying to promote Captain GetUp on Facebook, targeting a somewhat vague demographic of “people between the ages of 20 and 45 who live in Australia” with ads.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest A Captain GetUp ad on Facebook. Photograph: Guardian readers

On Tuesday, The Australian revealed that each Captain GetUp – in the event that there are multiple – would be trained to deliver the same speech.

“I am Captain GetUp the truth crusader,” the script reads. “After 14 years of secret backroom deals they are finally letting me out of the office for this election campaign.

“My mission is to show the world what clever tricks we use behind the scenes to increase political correctness and manipulate voters. At GetUp we really know what is best for you.’’

Peter Dutton tops GetUp's 'hard right' hit list for federal election Read more

On Twitter, the Captain GetUp account responded positively to criticism.

When someone compared him to a Brazilian anti-cancer initiative shaped like a testicle, Captain GetUp said the testicle was “a fine fellow & valued foreign donor”.

Captain GetUp! (@CaptGetUp) a fine fellow & valued foreign donor. If you're not a foreign donor never fear, domestic donations welcome here https://t.co/2lfR8eRfUe #captaingetup #auspol #MAFS #Adani https://t.co/cGZg0xPXQu

In response to another tweet, the account said the Labor leader, Bill Shorten, was his father.

Captain GetUp! (@CaptGetUp) Yeeeeees! I'll take all the friends i can get! Did you know @billshortenmp is my father? Hi dad, love you! https://t.co/2lfR8eRfUe https://t.co/5XQyyNYO7J