EXCLUSIVE
Australia’s main “MAGA” group is preparing to launch an attack ad over surging fuel prices — while failing to point out they are caused by Donald Trump’s America and Israel starting a war.
Funded by billionaires Gina Rinehart and James Packer — and the private trust of Antisemitism Envoy Jillian Segal — lobby group “Advance” is seeking to use social media to micro-target voters in “vulnerable” ALP seats.
In a mass email to supporters, the far-right lobby group says it has produced a “targeted ad” based on “intelligence” it has gathered from opinion polling it has conducted in 10 federal seats.
The ad, “built on that research”, is “designed to hit Labor where the polling says they’re the weakest,” says the email, signed off by Advance executive director Matthew Sheahan.
“Farmers are warning food prices could rise by as much as 20 per cent because diesel is more than $3 a litre.
“That is why it’s so important you and I get Operation First Strike into the attack phase right now,” it states.
Neither the email — or the 47 second attack ad — makes any mention of the fact that fuel prices have soared because MAGA US President Trump and Israel invaded Iran.
The lobby group calls the attack ad “Operation First Strike”.
“Operation First Strike is all about smashing Labor in the ten seats that matter,” the email states.
“The ad is comprised of Channel 7 News clips”
The ad is comprised of Channel 7 News clips, interspersed with clips of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and images portraying people struggling under cost of living pressures.
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Advance’s “attack” ad is comprised of 7 News clips. Source: Advance
Advance, which ran the main “No” campaign against the Indigenous Voice to parliament, falsely claims to be a movement of “ordinary Aussies”, when in fact it is bankrolled by a handful of the nation’s richest people.
One of the biggest impediments to coal mining and gas extraction globally is Indigenous land rights.
Last financial year, mining billionaire Gina Rinehart, Australia’s richest person, was by far Advance’s biggest funder, giving it $895,000. Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) disclosures show.
Rinehart is a prominent cheerleader for Trump and his “Make America Great Again” movement.
Rinehart is a climate denier and spreads conspiracy theories, including telling staff to drink hot water to avoid Covid.
Billionaire Gina Rinehart and former Liberal Party vice president Teena McQueen (right) at a Trump Rally in the US. Source: Hancock Prospecting
Billionaire James Packer is another major funder of the far-right lobby group, giving Advance $150,000 last financial year through his private investment company Consolidated Press Holdings.
Other funders included Sydney mega-millionaire financier Simon Fenwick (who gave $250,000); billionaire Sam Kennard, owner of Kennards Self Storage ($125,000); and mega-millionaire vitamins mogul Marcus Blackmore ($40,000).
The year before, Advance’s tied-second biggest funder was the private family trust of mega-millionaire, and national Antisemitism Envoy, Jillian Segal, which gave $50,000.
As Antisemitism Envoy, Segal is paid over $1,000 a day — in a position costing taxpayers over $1 million a year — to promote “social cohesion”.
Advance aggressively spreads online disinformation and clinically disseminates hateful — often AI generated — material to its hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
It has suggested immigrants in detention are “rapists, paedophiles and murderers”; claims the Indigenous Welcome to Country is part of a secretive plan by “elites” to “delegitimise Australia’s history”; and spread division ahead of Anzac Day, where the Indigenous Welcome to Country was booed.
Segal has consistently refused to respond to questions from The Klaxon, including regarding her family trust funding Advance.
Advance’s “cost of living” attack ad, funded by billionaires. Source: Advance
In the email, sent Sunday, Sheahan writes that Advance had conducted polling of 2241 voters in 10 seats.
“Voters told us exactly what’s driving them away from Labor and what will change their vote,” he writes.
“You funded the production of a targeted ad built on that research – designed to hit Labor where the polling says they’re weakest.
“It’s how you change votes; by starting early and being relentless with a powerful message about what Labor is costing them,” he writes.
Advance was currently undertaking a “recruitment campaign”.
“A recruitment campaign is underway to find 1000 anti-Labor supporters on the ground in those seats – locals ready to campaign when it counts,” he writes.
Of the ad, Sheahan writes: “I’m locking in the placements this week to send into 10 seats Labor must win”.
“First, we had to watch Anthony Albanese’s ‘address to the nation’ about nothing,” he writes.
“Then his climate change minister Chris Bowen blames Australia’s fuel shortages on ‘panic buyers’.
“Labor had years to fix Australia’s fuel reserves and didn’t. Now they’re blaming you for filling up your car,” he writes.
“The goal: SMASH LABOR”.
Australia is under attack from bad actors fighting to undermine our way of life by spreading lies and creating division — so as to further empower vested interests and the mega-rich. The only antidote is facts. Please consider supporting our truly independent journalism.
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Thank you,
Anthony Klan
Editor, The Klaxon
