Tony Abbott-aligned Liberal reform group using Tea Party political app – The Sydney Morning Herald

The Tony Abbott-aligned group urging NSW Liberals to attend a party reform meeting this weekend is campaigning with a political app used by the organisation behind the 2010 National Tea Party Convention in the United States.

The app being used by the group, the Democratic Reform Movement, is created by Right Mobile Pty Ltd.

Play Video Don't Play

Play Video Don't Play

Previous slide Next slide

In October, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull draws laughter from his colleagues after claiming the Liberal Party is not governed by backroom deals. Vision courtesy ABC News 24.

Play Video Don't Play

Warnings have been issued about Australia's lax building laws and the risk of a Grenfell style fire happening here, during a Senate inquiry into non-compliant cladding.

Play Video Don't Play

The Greens leader has responded to suggestions Larissa Waters and Scott Ludlam should repay their salaries after both resigned from Parliament because they hold dual citizenship.

Play Video Don't Play

Family and friends have gathered to remember Justine Damond who was shot and killed by a US police officer, while the PM says the government is pushing for answers.

Play Video Don't Play

Labor will support all 50 of Chief Scientist Alan Finkel's energy policy recommendations, says Opposition Leader Bill Shorten. Vision courtesy Ten Eyewitness News.

Play Video Don't Play

The deputy Greens leader becomes the second to resign in less than a week.

Play Video Don't Play

Malcolm Turnbull explains how his new super department headed by Peter Dutton will work.

Play Video Don't Play

Not everyone in the Liberal Party is happy with the idea of Peter Dutton leading a super portfolio including ASIO, the AFP and Border Force.

In October, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull draws laughter from his colleagues after claiming the Liberal Party is not governed by backroom deals. Vision courtesy ABC News 24.

It gives mobile phone users access to videos and articles featuring Mr Abbott and others arguing for an overhaul of the NSW Liberal Party preselection rules and urges party members to attend.

The same template was used by Right Mobile to create an app for Tea Party Nation, which organised the 2010 convention for the Tea Party conservative Republican splinter group at which former Republican governor Sarah Palin was keynote speaker.

Fairfax Media has also learnt questions are being asked about $10,000 in party funds spent on the Democratic Reform Movement campaign by the Federal Electorate Conference for Mr Abbott's seat of Warringah.

The reform group is led by Warringah FEC president Walter Villatora.

Internal documents show Warringah FEC spent $10,334.90 on a "Democratic Reform Workshop".

Get the latest news and updates emailed straight to your inbox.

This is understood to be the subject of a complaint to NSW Liberal head office ahead of the Party Futures Convention to be held at Rosehill racecourse this weekend.

The convention is set to thrash out changes to how state and federal candidates are preselected by the NSW Liberals.

The Democratic Reform Movement is pushing a Warringah FEC motion to introduce plebiscites whereby every local party member would get a vote. At present, voting is restricted to branch representatives and some party officials.

The ruling left and centre right factions claim this will open the door to large-scale branch stacking by Mr Abbott's "hard" right faction.

They support a compromise that would introduce plebiscites but with strict safeguards such as a member activity test and a requirement for several years' membership.

On Monday Fairfax Media reported the Democratic Reform Movement was accused of trying to "stack" the convention, including by paying the $150 fee for members to attend.

The convention is being seen as the next potential flashpoint between Mr Abbott and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull over the Liberal Party's direction.

Former party member and plebiscite campaigner John Ruddick has predicted a split in the Liberals should the Warringah motion fail.

Right Mobile has created apps for numerous US Republican party groups as well as for charity.

Sasha Reid, a founder of Sydney company Hyper Apps, estimated the Democratic Reform Movement app would cost between $10,000 to $15,000 to set up, plus potential ongoing fees.

However, a source close to the Democratic Reform Movement said Right Mobile was owned by a "mate" and therefore cost "next to nothing" and denied the owner had Tea Party or Republican links.

A Warringah FEC source said it had passed the Warringah motion unanimously twice and that "gives the Warringah conference the mandate to spend [the $10,000]".

But a Liberal source accused the Warringah FEC of "spending party funds to support the hard-right faction in its campaign to introduce the branch stacker's plebiscite".

"They should have their guns pointing at Labor, not fellow Liberals," the source said.

Read the original:

Tony Abbott-aligned Liberal reform group using Tea Party political app - The Sydney Morning Herald