The Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters will hold a further public hearing in October with members of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church (PBCC).
The Committee has today resolved to invite Mr Bruce Hales and Mr Gareth Hales to a public hearing. The Committee has also resolved to issue a summons to compel their attendance should they refuse to attend.
The Committee will also invite the authors of submissions 312, 332 and 333, along with Mr Lester Sharples, named in recent media reporting, to attend the hearing.
'Recent media reports about PBCC members paying known agitators and Nazi-associates to disrupt our democracy are deeply disturbing.'
'Our democracy is more important than the outcome of any one election. Interference of this nature needs to be investigated and condemned by all sides of politics.'
'Bruce and Gareth Hales are known to be the most senior members of the organisation in Australia. For the Committee to accurately report on the 2025 election, they need to show up and fess up.'
The program for the hearing will be available on the Committee's public hearings webpage closer to the date. The hearing will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live.
Further information on the 2025 election inquiry can be found at the inquiry webpage. Committee details can be found at the Committee's webpage.
