Democracy ‘under assault’ from significant third parties at 2025 federal election, parliamentary inquiry finds

People cast their vote in the seat of Bradfield in Sydney on election day in 2025. Photograph: Bianca De Marchi/AAP View image in fullscreen People cast their vote in the seat of Bradfield in Sydney on election day in 2025. Photograph: Bianca De Marchi/AAP Democracy ‘under assault’ from significant third parties at 2025 federal election, parliamentary inquiry finds Parliamentary inquiry recommends new laws to police behaviour at polling booths Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast New laws are needed to police behaviour at polling booths after Australia’s democracy came “under assault” at last year’s federal election – including from third parties such as Plymouth Brethren Christian Church members and rightwing lobby group Advance – the chair of a parliamentary inquiry has said. The proposed new code of conduct for campaigners was among several recommendations in the interim report from the Labor-led committee reviewing the 2025 ballot, which was tabled on Tuesday afternoon. Unprecedented ‘weirdest stuff’ and concerns about Americanisation of Australia’s 2025 election to be probed in review Read more The Coalition has dismissed the findings, accusing Labor of turning the election inquiry into a “hyper-partisan witch-hunt” against members of the church. “The way that they have been treated by Labor for exercising their right to participate in our political process is a stain on our democracy,” the Liberal senator Jess Collins said. The joint standing committee on electoral matters received dozens of reports about the conduct of members of Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, who turned out en masse in support of Liberal candidates in marginal seats across the country. The church has acknowledged some of its members were involved in the campaign but denied it was organised by the church. Sign up for the Breaking News Australia email In a speech to parliament, the committee’s chair, Jerome Laxale, said what occurred at the federal election “felt like an assault on our democracy, especially in targeted seats”. “Many described this assault by third parties, identified in submissions like the Plymouth Brethren and Advance, as a fundamental disruption to the foundations of our free and fair voting process,” the Labor MP said. “This parliament cannot ignore this evidence. In an electoral system where it is compulsory for adults to participate, every effort must be made to ensure that the electoral process is safe, fair and inviting for all involved.” The committee’s report did not name the groups but said a “significant proportion” of reports of antisocial behaviour at polling places were linked to “third parties”. The interim report made 14 recommendations, including calling for a review of the threshold for entities to be considered significant third parties, and therefore subject to regulation, under federal electoral laws. It proposed creating a mandatory code of conduct tha