‘Just business’: Brethren leaders admit meeting far-right – and Trump

Gareth Hales, son of Exclusive Brethren leader Bruce Hales, admitted during a parliamentary inquiry on Friday that he met with far-right agitators and participated in secret chats where neo-Nazi associates and Brethren elders planned an "election influence" campaign involving stunts aimed at left-leaning MPs during the 2025 election. Hales described these interactions as "just business," denying any direct connection to electoral campaigning. He gave testimony via video link during a three-hour session before the joint standing committee investigating the 2025 election. Bruce Hales, appearing alongside his son, disclosed that members of theExclusive Brethren, now known as the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, had met with U.S. President Donald Trump in New York. During the inquiry, senators questioned the Haleses were often interrupted by Coalition MPs who criticized the probe as a "witch hunt" and an instance of religious discrimination. This stance aligns with the position taken by the far-right American organization Turning Point. Gareth Hales confirmed he had met with then opposition leader Peter Dutton and his staff in 2025, describing the encounter as brief. Both Haleses maintained that their church did not directly instruct members to mobilize in large numbers to covertly campaign for the Coalition, despite reports indicating otherwise. Committee chair, Labor's Jerome Laxale, and independent Monique Ryan expressed skepticism over the Haleses' testimony, with Ryan comparing it to "a Melbourne weather forecast." Independent and former Nationals MP Andrew Gee confronted Gareth Hales directly, stating he was not convinced by the family's account. The Haleses were compelled to testify under the threat of a subpoena following leaks revealing Gareth's involvement in secret communications with Brethren elders planning the stunt campaign. These operations included paying far-right agitators to disrupt MPs at campaign events and hotels. An investigation uncovered that Brethren elders tracked the movements of the prime minister, sharing private information about his whereabouts with neo-Nazis. Gareth Hales' firm, Sante Global, was linked to a meeting held at a Sydney golf club in April 2025, attended by Brethren elders and far-right individuals. Hales claimed the meeting was purely business-related, yet he acknowledged meeting key figures such as Chris De Bruyne and Morgan C Jonas, both associated with the Brethren's stunt operation, at his Sante offices. De Bruyne and Jonas supported Brethren promotional materials and advertisements that appeared during the election, including the cryptic "Make Australia smile again" signs, which echoed a phrase used by Bruce Hales. When questioned about this slogan, Bruce Hales stated there was some dissatisfaction with the government in 2025 but denied using the phrase as a directive for his sons to campaign. Instead, he characterized it as a general remark about the administration. Neither Bruce nor Gareth Hales responded to repeated inquiries regarding whether they intended to investigate or address the allegations surrounding the Brethren's involvement in the election, particularly their collaboration with neo-Nazi associates. Bruce Hales claimed he had not read articles detailing the stunt campaign, while occasionally expressing harsh criticism towards reporter Michael Bachelard of the publication that exposed the information. Gareth Hales emphasized that he was testifying as a private individual, asserting he had no official role within the church, even though he identified himself as its highest-ranking member. He stated he was "not active" in the church's operations.