As the Victorian Liberals attacked Daniel Andrews for claiming they were preferencing Nazis, an anti-Semitic candidate retweeted the premier, saying ‘Not talking about me now is he #Flattered’.
The Victorian Liberals are preferencing an anti-Semitic, conspiracy theory-promoting, independent candidate — who is an active participant in online neo-Nazi communities — above a Labor Party candidate in one seat.
This comes as the opposition has repeatedly attacked Labor over what one of its MPs called a “baseless, disgusting and vile ‘Nazi’ slur campaign”.
On Tuesday, it was reported that the Victorian Liberals had listed Tylere Baker-Pearce fifth on their how-to-vote card above Labor candidate Gary Maas after Labor MP Josh Burns tweeted a picture of the independent’s anti-Semitic tweets along with a photograph of him smiling at a Holocaust concentration camp.
However, an archive of his online footprint captured by anti-fascist research group The White Rose Society reveals a much deeper engagement with white supremacist ideas and communities.
Baker-Pearce frequently posted in Australian neo-Nazi Telegram channels, including sharing updates about his candidacy in the state election.
In one channel, run by a member of Australia’s National Socialist Network, Baker-Pearce posted screenshots of the ballot draw for his seat — ”Came 3rd in the ballot draw” — and an email from a business working with the Victorian Electoral Commission asking him to translate his election pitch into other languages.
Other posts include sharing pictures of Hitler and pictures of extremist groups’ stickers, as well as using anti-Semitic, racist and homophobic slurs.
Read the article by Cam Wilson in Crikey.