The Liberal Party has now taken over the questioning of Lloyd Grimshaw of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, under the member for Forrest, Ben Small. Small had a very large contingent of church members bussed into his electorate to campaign on his behalf, according to submissions to the committee.
Small gives Grimshaw the opportunity to argue it was church members who were the real victims here.
Two posters, authorised by Freedom Party founder Morgan C. Jonas, linked to the Brethren during the 2025 election.
“We get abusive emails sent to the church via the ‘contact us’ form on the website, and we’ve even had you know households, family households of Brethren members getting door knocks at night with people knocking on their front doors, and when they open the door, they ask them, ‘You know, are you part of a cult?’
“It’s pretty common following media articles in this country that get written from time to time with outrageous stuff about the church.”
Small is now inviting Grimshaw to attack the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who described the church as a “cult” during the campaign.
“I don’t think it’s appropriate at all,” Grimshaw says. “To use the words that he used to describe the church is offensive, and it’s hurtful, and it’s untrue, and you know it has an impact.”