🧍‍♂️ What’s happening

Reports from multiple outlets, including the Sydney Morning Herald, say Brethren church members have been seen volunteering at early voting sites in marginal seats — handing out flyers for Liberal and National candidates.

  • Volunteers from across the political spectrum witnessed individuals they believe to be members of the church volunteering for the Coalition.

  • Independent MP Andrew Gee told the ABC he believed around 24 volunteers followed him between polling booths.

The Brethren and the Coalition denied any formal arrangement.

  • The church’s website says: Individual members may take an interest in politics and decide to support an individual politician or particular campaign… [but] they do not represent the Church’s view.

  • A spokesperson for the church told News Corp that they “had nothing to do with the call”, but said there has been a “significant upswing” in “individual members” volunteering.

⛪️ What is the Exclusive Brethren?

The Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, also known as the Exclusive Brethren, is a highly conservative Christian group.

  • Around 15,000 members in Australia; 50,000+ globally.

  • Women often follow traditional gender roles — dressing modestly and sometimes wearing head coverings.

  • Members of the LGBTQ+ community are not accepted. Scripture cited by the church describes homosexual acts as “worthy of death.”.

  • Members don’t vote in political elections — the church’s website doesn’t cite a reason, but it states scripture says “there is no authority except from God”.

🏘️ Politics on the down-low?

Despite their non-voting stance, media has reported members have volunteered in significant numbers.

🗣️ What they’re saying

Church: No directive from leadership. Just individual members getting involved.

Coalition: All faiths welcome. Volunteers are a vital part of democracy.

Peter Dutton: “We’re a volunteer-based organisation … I’d encourage [people of faith] to do that. We have people of, I suspect, every religious type supporting us.”

📌 The bottom line

The Brethren insist there’s no church-wide political agenda. But the sheer volume of member involvement — in a group that officially shuns politics — is raising eyebrows across the country.

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