— Denies involvement, yet never investigated
— Suggests sons “likely” ran scheme, hid it from him
— Forced to appear under threat of jail
— Denies knowledge of key media stories
The global leader of the Exclusive Brethren sect — alleged to have run a secretive multi-million dollar campaign for Peter Dutton at last year’s federal election — claims he came into the role via a global “spontaneous acceptance”.
Fronting the parliamentary inquiry into the 2025 federal election — under threat of jail — Bruce Hales repeated claims the church had not engaged in political activity, rather that members acted in their “personal capacity”.
That was despite Hales subsequently stating he hadn’t investigated the matter — and that he didn’t “necessarily” think he should.
It is also despite revelations the Liberal Party named the sect as a “strategic partner” in its leaked 2025 post-election review.
Under questioning about the command structure of the Exclusive Brethren — now called the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church — Hales said it had “no formal hierarchy”.
Hales rejected that he had been “appointed” to the role, stating the church had “no clergy” and “no appointed ministers” — and so there was “no office to hold”.
“(There was) a spontaneous acceptance of me as leader” — Bruce Hales
As to how he came to be the Exclusive Brethren’s global leader, Hales said there had been a “spontaneous acceptance of me as leader”, when his father died in 2002.
“So a spontaneous decision made by 56,000 members of the church. Is that right?” asked committee member, Independent MP Monique Ryan.
“That’s right. Exactly that,” responded Hales.
The Sydney-based Hales was forced to appear before the inquiry Friday under threat of being “summonsed” — meaning if he failed to appear he could be jailed.
Bruce Hales appeared via video link before the inquiry last Friday. Source: Australian Parliament
He wrote a letter to the inquiry on October 5 in which he sought to preempt and answer questions, and which he sought to use as a way out of appearing.
(“I assume my attendance is no longer required,” he wrote.)
That was rejected by the inquiry.
Hales told the inquiry he had been a “tax advisor and company auditor” for 50 years before retiring last year.
The inquiry has heard large amounts of evidence that thousands of Exclusive Brethren members attended polling booths in marginal seats across the nation at the federal election, wearing Liberal Party attire and handing out how-to-vote cards.
It is alleged the sect spent millions of dollars campaigning for the Liberal and National parties, which included allegedly flying teams of Exclusive Brethren members to remote Northern Territory Indigenous communities via private jet.
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Exclusive Brethren sect members swarmed polling booths for the Liberal Party at the federal election. Source: The Klaxon
Entities that spend over $250,000 on electoral activities in a financial year are required to register as “significant third parties” with the Australian Electoral Commission.
The Exclusive Brethren is not registered. Doing so could put the lucrative charity status of its multiple trusts in jeopardy.
Appearing via video-link, Hales, who said he had retired from a career as an accountant last year, read from a carefully-worded opening statement.
He categorically denied the church had engaged in any organised activity at the election and that “the church does not engage in any political activity”.
“Neither the church nor I direct or control members’ political activities, which if they are conducted, are conducted in their private capacity,” he said.
Inquiry member, Independent MP Andrew Gee asked:
“Don’t you think given what’s at stake, you personally should have investigated these allegations about the involvement of your church in the 2025 federal election campaign?”
Hales responded: “Not necessarily, Mr Gee. No.”
Yet, under questioning, Hales appeared to agree his sons — senior exclusive Brethren members — had run the election push, and “likely” kept it from him.
Central to the Exclusive Brethren’s alleged coordinated electoral activities was the appearance across NSW of electronic billboards declaring “Make Australia Happy” and “Put Labor Last”.
On April 20 last year — two weeks before poll day, and two days before early voting opened — Hales gave a sermon, delivered to thousands of Brethren members, calling on the congregation to prey for “good government” and that “Australia needs to be happy again, smiling again”.
At around the same time, electronic billboard began appearing in marginal seats, carrying the word’s “Make Australia Happy”, alternated with the words “Put Labor Last” and an image of a smiling face.
It was later revealed that days after Hales’ sermon, his sons Gareth, Charles and Dean had released a video praising the sermon and stating: “We need to make sure our booths are manned and our volunteers are fired up.”
It reportedly stated:
“How awesome was it to hear that recording (sermon)?
“Make sure our booths are manned and volunteers fired up each day to dominate the play.
“It’s game on … Pray and take action.”
Days later, large numbers of Exclusive Brethren members swarmed polling booths in marginal seat across the nation.
One of the electronic signs in Sydney’s Ryde, in the closely fought federal seat of Bennelong. Pictures: Declan Bowring/ABC
Hales rejected that his sermon had been a call to action.
It had been an “observation of world affairs and their impact on this country” and for the “congregation present to be more fervent in their prayers for good government for the benefit and prosperity of all Australians”, he told the inquiry.
The Age and Sydney Morning Herald reported the Hayes sermon — and the subsequent video by Gareth, Charles and Dean — in a major report on June 7 last year.
Despite this, regarding his sons’ video, Hales told the inquiry it was “the first I’ve heard of it”.
“The first I’ve heard of it, categorically…unequivocally,” Hales said.
The Age article published June 7, 2025. “The first I’ve heard of it,” Bruce Hayes told the inquiry. Source: SMH
Hales said he had no knowledge of any link between his sermon and the “Make Australia Happy” billboards and campaigning.
Regarding this, Hales said his position said might sound “extraordinary” and “hard to believe”.
“There are…large numbers of Brethren at pre-polling booths within two weeks of your sermon, standing there in unprecedented numbers alongside billboards and signage on the back of trucks saying ‘Make Australia Smile Again’,” said ALP Senator Corinne Mulholland.
“And your evidence to this committee is that you have no recollection, no causal link, no knowledge of how that occurred?”
Hales said his position “might seem extraordinary” and “hard to believe”
“No. And it might seem extraordinary,” Hales responded.
Mulholland responded: “It does. It does seem extraordinary.
“It does. It does seem extraordinary” — Senator Mulholland
Hales responded: “Exactly, and I can understand how you might find it hard to believe, but the fact is that I had no knowledge of those events before.
“I had no…part in planning them.
“If they’d asked…permission, I would have denied it” — Bruce Hales
“I think if they’d asked me about them and asked permission, I would have denied it.”
“Do you think that your sons deliberately didn’t ask you about it?” — Senator Mulholland
“So do you think that your sons deliberately didn’t ask you about it?” asked Mulholland.
“Well, likely,” responded Hales.
“Well, likely” — Bruce Hales
Neo-Nazis
In more evidence seen as extraordinary, Hales denied any knowledge of a major expose last month that made national and international headlines.
On September 14 The Age reported the Exclusive Brethren secretly recruited neo-Nazi associates to harass Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and other MPs at the election.
The sect allegedly paid far-right agitators to harass Albanese and his ministers, as well as Greens and independent candidates, in “nearly a dozen scripted stunts on the campaign trail”.
“Have you read or are you aware of, uh, the reporting, uh, on the 14th of September?” asked ALP MP Alicia Payne.
“The headline is: ‘Tail, Film Heckle’: Inside the Brethren’s Secret Election Influence Plot with the Far Right.”
“No”, responded Hales.
“So you haven’t read it?” asked ALP MP Alicia Payne.
“No. No I have not,” replied Hales.
London’s The Times reports on the September expose Bruce Hales claims to be unaware of. Source: The Times
Exclusive Brethren spokesman Lloyd Grimshaw had appeared before the inquiry on August 21.
Like Hales, he denied the church’s secretariat had played any role in the election, and instead, said its members had acted individually, exercising their democratic rights.
Inquiry chair Labor MP Jerome Laxale, later described that evidence by Grimshaw as “shallow, inconsistent, and, at points, laughable”.
Last week, The Age reported that on August 23 — two days after Grimshaw gave evidence — Hales delivered a closed sermon stating “we’ve got our secrets”.
“If they want you at any time … to help them to fill the story out … we don’t do it,” Hales said in the sermon.
“They haven’t got the full story”, and “we’re going to keep it…to ourselves.
“Why should we tell the world everything we know?
“Why should you tell the world all about it? Keep it to yourself,” Hales said.
When asked by the inquiry whether he had said those words, Hales responded “well, quite likely”.
He continued: “But you see, um, the word mystery applies to the glad tidings, and indeed it applies, if anyone knows their Bible, it applies to the church.
“It’s a mystery, and…that is what I would’ve meant by that, that why do we have to go out and explain every syllable that we state in a, in a church conference?”
Senator Gee asked Hales whether the statements had been an “exhortation not to give evidence to this committee or anyone else about what went on during the 2025 federal election campaign?”
He responded: “No, not at all. I don’t, uh, see any link with the two matters that you’re referring to.”
Hales was asked about the Liberal Party having described the Exclusive Brethren as a support group in its official post-election review.
Gee asked: “Have you done anything in respect of that review? Have you contacted the Liberal Party and said, “Oh, you’ve got it wrong. We were not a support group for you at all. The Liberal Party is completely erroneous in their review of the election. Have you done anything about that?”
Hales responded: “No, but why should I?”
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Anthony Klan
Editor, The Klaxon
