Taxpayers are paying hundreds of {dollars} per week to a secretive right-wing group to put in writing emails, social media posts and run campaigns for particular person conservative federal politicians, paperwork reveal.
Invoices obtained from the Division of Finance for the primary time give particulars concerning the companies claimed by members of Parliament from Whitestone Strategic, a “conservative marketing campaign consultancy” that was intently concerned with the Voice to Parliament No marketing campaign and right-wing foyer group Advance.
Via a freedom of knowledge request, Crikey has obtained invoices given by South Australian conservative Christian Coalition Senator Alex Antic to the Impartial Parliamentary Bills Authority between April and June 2022.
Paperwork present that Antic’s workplace claimed $26,972.22 in bills from Whitestone Strategic for simply three months of companies between December 2021 and February 2022.
These invoices embody gadgets comparable to “social media content material and placement” for $1,650 in January, $11,069.30 for “extra social media spend” in December and January, and “electronic mail communications to supporters” for $1,485 in February”.
The invoices additionally present particular particulars about extra campaigns that Antic sought Whitestone Strategic’s companies for. One with the reference “Vaccine Mandate” charged $4,785 for “copywriting and design” for a marketing campaign. Across the time of this bill, Antic launched a “Assist cease vaccine discrimination” web page on his web site that invited readers to signal a “Freedom Pledge” opposing vaccine mandates. (Antic refused to reveal whether or not he was vaccinated however did undertake quarantine in a medi-hotel after travelling again to Adelaide from Canberra round this time.)
Antic declined to reply questions on his use of Whitestone Strategic, as an alternative saying that he doesn’t hassle with left-wing media: “Good luck with what’s little doubt shaping as much as be a superb hack piece. I’m positive it will likely be fashionable in metro Sydney.”
Whitestone Strategic is a little-known political consultancy group that has garnered extra consideration for its position with Advance and the No marketing campaign. Co-founded by a former Australian Christian Foyer director of communications David Hutt, the marketing campaign has labored with the ACT Liberals through the 2022 federal election in addition to Liberal Senator Claire Chandler.
Whitestone Strategic didn’t reply to a request for remark.
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