Getup targets Abbott, Dutton

LEFT-WING activists Getup are amassing a multimilliondollar war chest to attack Coalition MPS including Tony Abbott and Peter Dutton at the looming federal election.

Getup’s latest financial report, recently filed with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, shows donations rose about 20 per cent in 2017-18 to $9.8 million from $8.3 million.

According to the group’s annual report, to be released today, the jump was the product of an increase in the average donation – to $50 from $44 – along with a rise in the number of contributions to 65,000 from 57,000.

“It’s clear that when politicians bicker among themselves while blocking action on the issues that matter, like climate change, you’ll see an uptick in the number of people looking to have their voice heard,” Getup national director Paul Oosting said.

“Every day people are desperate for new ways to hold politicians to account and that is reflected in our accounts.”

Trends in earlier accounts suggest Getup enjoys a boost in donation rates in financial years containing a federal election, meaning it may be able to raise as much as $12 million in 2018-19.

“Certainly in election times, Getup members recognise the opportunity to effect change on the issues that are important to them,” Mr Oosting said.

Getup opposes new coal mines, offshore detention and Australia Day being on January 26. It fights for the ABC and a publicly funded clean energy retailer. It says Australia does not need “meaningful government surpluses”. Its policy section says this is because “a government who issues debt in a currency they control is never at risk of default”.

While it says its “work is driven by values, not party politics”, its main focus in 2019 will be getting rid of as many high-pro-

MEMBERS RECOGNISE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EFFECT CHANGE ON THE ISSUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO THEM PAUL OOSTING

file members of the Morrison government as possible.

It is asking visitors to its website to “help determine which hard right MPS Getup targets in the upcoming federal election” by voting for the top three they want ousted.

Home Affairs Minister Mr Dutton, who represents the north Brisbane seat of Dickson, is leading the vote, followed by Tony Abbott. Getup has already run “calling parties” into the former prime minister’s north Sydney seat of Warringah.

University of Sydney professor of political sociology Ariadne Vromen said these were high times for Getup, which she has studied.