Unmasking the Swine Behind the Spin – A Closer Look at Power, Politics, and the Pork Barrelling of Public Trust

🐷 The Truth About Pigs: You Can Put Lipstick on a Lobbyist, But It’s Still a Pig 🐽

Unmasking the Swine Behind the Spin – A Closer Look at Power, Politics, and the Pork Barrelling of Public Trust

Without truth, there are no other values.

Strip truth from the foundation, and what’s left is theatre. Justice becomes a stage play, ethics a costume change, and leadership a revolving door of actors reading from spin-doctored scripts. Behind the curtain, toy soldiers march to the beat of donor dollars, while influencer incubators churn out polished personas — designed not to inform, but to distract, distort, and defend the indefensible.

You can gild the puppet, rehearse the lines, and flood the feed — but no matter how it’s staged, manipulation dressed in PR remains deception. These are not public servants. They are branded mouthpieces, polished pawns, and well-fed mascots of a machine that feeds on silence and spins on power.

This post from 13 September 2024 by Adam Martin, Independent Candidate for Braddon, is more than just a video — it's a window into a carefully curated reality. On the surface, it's all black-and-white sincerity: the rugged face, the heartfelt tone, the anti-establishment charm. But context is everything. I know the ecosystem in which these pigs wallow, and Martin is not outside it — he's just dressed his pig in pearls and dropped the saturation.

Behind the rhetoric lies a network — not always overt, but undeniably connected. Today we explore its tentacles: the influencers who pretend to be outsiders while whispering with insiders, the candidates who decry political theatre while auditioning for leading roles, and the silent operators who ensure every narrative stays on-script. If we don’t name it, it will keep reinventing itself — rebranding as “grassroots,” repainting as “independent,” while feeding from the same old trough.

​Michael Gray Griffith and Damien Richardson share a close association rooted in their mutual involvement in the "freedom movement" that emerged during Australia's COVID-19 lockdowns. They met at the Shrine Protest in Melbourne and subsequently co-hosted the nightly livestream show Café Locked Out for five months, only parting ways when Griffith departed for the Canberra protests.

Richardson, a former Neighbours actor, has been a prominent figure in far-right circles. In June 2024, he spoke at a meeting organized by the National Workers Alliance at the Polish Club in Rowville, Melbourne. The event featured speakers like former pro wrestler Craig Cole and former gym owner Blair Cottrell, known for his neo-Nazi affiliations.

In September 2024, Richardson was recorded performing a Nazi salute at a National Workers Alliance meeting in Melbourne. Victoria Police charged him with performing a Nazi gesture in a public place, an offense under laws introduced in 2022. Richardson has denied being a member of any neo-Nazi movement.

Griffith, a playwright and founder of Café Locked Out, has continued to produce content aligned with the "freedom movement," His platform has featured various figures from the movement, including Richardson, Brady Gunn, Graham Hood, John Larter, Maria Zee, David Graham, Nick Patterson, Matthew Lawson, Rebecca Walker, Malcolm Roberts, William Bay, Topher, Nicola Charles and Fanos Panayides to mention a few.

The Church and State Trust is a Christian advocacy organisation in Australia, founded by political educator Dave Pellowe in 2016. It aims to equip Christians to engage in public discourse and influence cultural and political spheres through a biblical lens. The organisation hosts conferences and events featuring various speakers who address topics at the intersection of faith, culture, and politics

Dr. Julie Sladden, a medical doctor and writer with over 25 years of clinical experience, has been a speaker at Church and State events. Eric Abetz, a former Australian Senator and current member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly, has participated in Church and State conferences. Michelle Pearse, the CEO of the Australian Christian Lobby, has also been involved with Church and State events.

We begin to see the crossover—into a calculated web of recruitment and ideological engineering. Julie Sladden and Eric Abetz appear at the so-called Golden Bridge—not a physical space, but a strategic concept lifted from Jared Kushner’s psychological operations playbook. This isn’t conventional politics; it’s targeted recruitment wrapped in faith, patriotism, and carefully curated outrage.

The Golden Bridge functions as the gateway—designed to attract the disillusioned with promises of purpose, freedom, and belonging. But it’s bait. Behind the warm language lies a shadow movement built on control, identity politics, and fear. What appears as a refuge is, in truth, an entry point into an ecosystem that reshapes democratic space under the guise of moral revival.

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Journalist Michael West lifted the veil on The Lions of Zion (TLOZ) in his exposé “Who is behind the racist Lions of Zion Fight Club charity?”, revealing a tangled web of far-right figures masquerading as a grassroots movement. Among the key players is Nick Patterson, a former gym owner and MMA fighter who founded the Australian Peacemakers during the lockdowns—a group that offered “security” at anti-lockdown and Christian Zionist rallies while openly challenging police to street fights. Patterson has since become a regular fixture at extremist events, including the June 2024 launch of the National Workers Alliance, where he was the opening speaker. Headlining that same event was former professional wrestler Craig Cole, a central figure in the early growth of TLOZ.

Craig Cole also led the “Leave Our Kids Alone” campaign, where An Nguyen—now affiliated with The Lions of Zion—was spotted in October 2024. Nguyen later reappeared at the Celebrate Australia event on January 26, 2025, posing for selfies with Patterson as the movement gained visibility.

Though originally named the Unsilent Majority, the group rebranded as The Lions of Zion—a move that came with a slicker image but no change in ideology. In a January 2025 podcast interview with The Israel Connexion, founding member Travitz claimed, “The Lions of Zion is not an organisation… I like to classify us as a movement,” while boasting of rapid membership growth and calls to expand into Sydney.

Rebecca Walker, better known as Bec Freedom, is an active influencer and incubator figure within the so-called freedom movement—but her affiliations trace a far darker path. She had a child with Jesse Stewart, also known by the alias “Negan,” a prominent figure in extremist circles since the peak of the lockdown protests. Jesse is the son of Tim Stewart—longtime friend of former Prime Minister Scott Morrison and one of Australia’s key QAnon promoters. The Stewart family's proximity to Morrison raised serious concerns, particularly in relation to allegations that QAnon-linked messaging may have influenced the former government's handling of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. Bec Freedom’s personal and ideological ties to Jesse Stewart position her at the heart of a recruitment pipeline—where relationships are leveraged as tools.

Matthew Raine Trihey, also known as Matthew Trihey, is a registered sole trader in Tasmania under the Australian Business Number (ABN) 56 847 008 647. His business, operating under the name "National Workers Alliance," was registered on 24 January 2023. The registered business address is in Queenstown, Tasmania (postcode 7467)

The Four Corners Documentary Torn Apart by QAnon features a mother and father sharing their painful decision to alert national security authorities about their son, who became heavily engaged in the extremist online movement. Once a loving and stable person, their son was slowly overtaken by QAnon.

Topher Field is a regular on the Church and State circuit, often sharing the stage with organiser Dave Pellowe. While presenting himself as a libertarian, Field’s messaging consistently echoes the cultural and religious talking points pushed by Pellowe and his network. His appearances at CPAC place him in the same sphere as Michael Sheahan from Advance Australia, aligning him with those pushing imported culture war narratives. Field also associates with Bec Freedom, a known supporter of the National Socialist Network and vocal backer of, Joel Davis and Hugo Lennon, the figure behind Auspill.

It is no surprise that Rebecca Walker continues to feign ignorance while advocating for the Australian Taxpayers' Association pledge, given the deep entanglement of libertarian messaging, right-wing lobby groups, and murky political funding schemes. Brian Marlow, a campaigner for the ultra-conservative platform CitizenGO, has personally donated thousands to the Liberal Party while also being linked to a national vaping lobby group that funneled $44,000 to the party—disguised as personal gifts in electoral returns. These donations, broken into $20,000, $15,000, $7,000, and $2,000 tranches, raise serious concerns about transparency and the influence of money in policy decisions.

Meanwhile, the Australian Taxpayers’ Alliance (ATA) faces mounting scrutiny over its refusal to disclose funding sources—particularly regarding its role in this year’s federal election and its partnership with a US app developer. The group’s use of “commercial in confidence” to shield its dealings only heightens concerns over foreign interference and the erosion of democratic accountability.

Figures like Topher Field, a self-branded libertarian and ATA ally, amplify this agenda under the guise of “freedom” and “small government,” while rubbing shoulders with far-right religious networks like Church and State. Meanwhile, Celine—photographed alongside Tony Abbott and engaged with Libertarian Party activities—represents the next generation of this cross-pollination between hardline ideologues and mainstream conservative figures. Together, these alliances blur the lines between grassroots activism and orchestrated political influence, demanding urgent investigation and public exposure.

The BE (Behavioural Economics) space erupted in a wave of new podcast designs, seeking to capture attention and subtly shape political motivations under the guise of humour and satire. These shows, often wrapped in ironic detachment or edgy commentary, employed behavioural insight techniques—such as emotional priming, social norming, and repetition—to influence audience perception and engagement. In one particularly disturbing example, a clip surfaces of Rebecca Walker laughing alongside a host who delivers a tirade glorifying violence with statements like: "The Israeli army are hell fucking banging, so I'm all for the Israelis just taking over fucking Gaza... and just having more Israeli women that fucking like shooting guns and killing Muslims. Oh my God! Marry me now! You wanna kill a rag head and your hot as shit. What! Where do I sign up?" The host continues with incendiary, Islamophobic slurs, using shock value as a tool to desensitise and provoke. Rebecca’s laughter, becomes part of the spectacle—demonstrating how language insertion and behavioural cues can be used to normalise extreme rhetoric under the banner of “freedom of expression” or “dark comedy.” The moment illustrates a chilling use of behavioural economics and media manipulation to edge viewers toward dangerous ideological positions without them fully realising it.

In this clip, a screen grab from an X (formerly Twitter) Space exposes Joel Davies—a member of the National Socialist Network—spouting his dangerous ideology unchecked. Davies boasts, “I don’t give a shit about the laws of this country. According to Catholic canon law, a woman can marry at 14 and a man can marry at 16, so to me that’s reasonable.” 

While Bec Freedom isn’t in the clip itself, she has repeatedly promoted Davies and the NSN across her social media platforms. Bec Freedom’s participation—amplifying such views rather than challenging them—effectively signals tacit approval, helping to legitimise voices that would otherwise remain on the fringe. Her online presence becomes a conduit through which extremist narratives are laundered into more mainstream political spaces, exposing wider audiences to radical ideologies cloaked in nationalism, religious traditionalism, and “free speech” rhetoric.

The doublespeak among certain influencer incubators and so called grassroot advocacy groups is becoming all too common, as they publicly claim to oppose corporate influence, yet actively platform individuals like Hugo Lennon, the son of a retired prominent developer.

This inconsistency is glaring—on one hand, they speak against corporate interests, but on the other, they share strategies and narratives that are backed by large think tanks and millionaire/billionaire-funded lobby groups. Highlighting figures associated with these influential economic interests uncovers a deeper alignment with the very forces they profess to resist.

This form of doublespeak not only erodes trust within grassroots movements but also exposes the gap between what these incubators say and what they actually do—prioritising the interests of the elite while pretending to champion "we the people".

Hugo's father, Anthony Lennon, is a prominent figure in Australia's property development sector. He joined Peet Limited in 1991 and became a director in 1996, contributing significantly to the company's expansion in Australia's eastern states. Anthony Lennon served as the National Business Development Director before transitioning to a non-executive director role. He has also held leadership positions in various industry organizations, including Chairman of the Perth Inner City Living Taskforce and President of the Real Estate Institute of Western Australia. In August 2024, Anthony announced his retirement from Peet's board of directors, although he intends to remain involved in the company as a non-executive director.

You will need a VPN to watch this video as the free speech movement had this taken down

The fact that the YouTube link is censored in Australia, particularly due to allegations of defamation made by —the"trust fund baby"—highlights a stark contradiction in the so-called "free speech movement." It’s ironic that those who often champion free speech are now resorting to censorship when it suits their interests. This action exposes the hypocrisy within the movement. They advocate for unregulated expression, yet when faced with criticism or uncomfortable truths, they turn to legal measures to silence opposing voices.

We’re beginning to see a troubling pattern emerge with SpambotX and Rebecca Walker’s apparent grooming of Alysha Rose—eerily reminiscent of Tim Stewart’s influence during the lead-up to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. These aren’t isolated incidents; they reflect a broader strategy of psychological manipulation and narrative control aimed at derailing legitimate inquiry and redirecting focus. Alysha, an outspoken advocate for justice, now appears increasingly aligned with actors who have deep ties to disinformation networks and political influence operations. We should not allow SpambotX to interfere with the AYDC proceedings in the same way Tim Stewart compromised the integrity of the Royal Commission. As such, my formal complaint to the Australian Federal Police will be made on the grounds of witness tampering. This behavior is not only unethical—it’s potentially criminal, and it’s compromising the integrity of vital investigations meant to serve the public interest.

On August 5th 2024, I formally raised concerns regarding an Active Club ecosystem that has been identified as an extremist group in a submission to the Inquiry into Right-Wing Extremist Movements in Australia – Parliament of Australia. This is a matter of significant national security and public interest.

Jeremy Rockliff was tagged in an X post by @spambotx (also known as Bender), inviting him to a discussion space regarding AYDC. Given the well-documented tactics of extremist groups seeking to exploit youth spaces for radicalisation, this development demands immediate scrutiny.

The White Rose Society has extensively documented how Active Clubs & Accelerationists employ Neo-Nazi tactics and strategies in Australia. The deliberate targeting of young people, particularly those in vulnerable circumstances, poses a grave risk to community safety and social cohesion. The white paper cites the very ecosystem communicating with Alysha Rose and highlights connections with current candidates.

Authorities must act swiftly to:

• Investigate and address any recruitment or indoctrination efforts targeting youth

• Implement protective measures to prevent further harm

• Investigate witness tampering

  
  

This issue cannot be ignored. Immediate intervention is required to safeguard young people and protect Australian communities from the dangers posed by radical extremist infiltration.

Adam Martin promoting a man who has been called Michael Christ is the biggest red flag yet—and it should set off alarm bells for anyone paying attention. This isn't just a lapse in judgment; it's a disturbing insight into the kinds of ideologies and individuals being legitimized under the guise of “freedom” and “community.” Michael Christ is not a symbol of liberation—he’s part of a growing pattern of dangerous theatrics, cultish rhetoric, and messianic delusion creeping into political spaces that should be grounded in accountability and service. For Martin to publicly align with or amplify such a figure raises serious questions about his values, his judgment, and the real motivations behind his campaign. This is beyond fringe—it’s reckless.

PIGO will not target ordinary Tasmanians, frontline public service workers, or middle management within the Tasmanian public sector—our focus is on dismantling the entrenched networks of power that have corrupted democratic accountability. Adam Martin’s policies make it abundantly clear that he’s more interested in protecting his mates than protecting the public. His campaign carefully avoids scrutiny of the power brokers and lobbyists who operate behind closed doors—often the very people enabling regulatory capture and backdoor deals. That said, I do agree with his call to examine conflicts of interest and inappropriate dealings between politicians, lobbyists, and corporations. It’s just deeply ironic, given the network he’s embedded in is riddled with those exact conflicts. If Martin truly believes in transparency, he should start by disclosing the full extent of his affiliations—and subjecting his own circle to the same scrutiny he claims to support.

Adam Martin’s policy platform appears to be closely aligned with a "TCCI-forward" agenda—prioritising the interests of the Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the business elite over everyday workers and communities. His campaign has gained traction not through genuine grassroots support, but through a network of performative “freedom fighters” who are anything but. Many of these figures have a track record of co-opting activist language to push pro-corporate, anti-worker narratives while masquerading as independent voices. The result is a deeply astroturfed campaign that leverages disinformation and manufactured outrage to advance policies that benefit the top end of town, all while undermining the credibility of real community-led movements. The public deserves to know who is really behind these candidates—and who stands to gain.