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| 'Anti-GetUp' co-founder to head Pharmacy Guild in Queensland | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| One of the founders of “anti-GetUp”, the conservative campaign group Advance Australia, has been appointed as the Queensland director of a guild previously criticised for donating thousands of dollars to Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party. | One of the founders of “anti-GetUp”, the conservative campaign group Advance Australia, has been appointed as the Queensland director of a guild previously criticised for donating thousands of dollars to Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party. |
| Gerard Benedet, previously the chief of staff to the former Queensland Liberal-National leader Tim Nicholls, has been appointed the new Queensland director of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia. | Gerard Benedet, previously the chief of staff to the former Queensland Liberal-National leader Tim Nicholls, has been appointed the new Queensland director of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia. |
| The guild, which represents pharmacy owners, was criticised by its own members and others in the industry in April when Guardian Australia reported it had donated $15,000 to One Nation last year. | The guild, which represents pharmacy owners, was criticised by its own members and others in the industry in April when Guardian Australia reported it had donated $15,000 to One Nation last year. |
| “The Pharmacy Guild doesn’t speak for pharmacists – we are proud of our diversity … we condemn One Nation and its policies,” the vice-president of Professional Pharmacists Australia, Carmel McCallum, said at the time. | “The Pharmacy Guild doesn’t speak for pharmacists – we are proud of our diversity … we condemn One Nation and its policies,” the vice-president of Professional Pharmacists Australia, Carmel McCallum, said at the time. |
| Pharmacy Guild of Australia defends making $15,000 donation to One Nation | Pharmacy Guild of Australia defends making $15,000 donation to One Nation |
| The guild defended the donation at the time, saying it paid to attend political functions “across the political spectrum” but did not necessarily endorse their views. | The guild defended the donation at the time, saying it paid to attend political functions “across the political spectrum” but did not necessarily endorse their views. |
| But in Benedet, the guild has appointed one of Australia’s best-known conservative political warriors. | But in Benedet, the guild has appointed one of Australia’s best-known conservative political warriors. |
| Benedet has also worked for the former federal Liberal party leader Brendan Nelson and the Howard-era minister Helen Coonan. But he’s best known for his work with Advance Australia, formed in November 2018 as a counterweight to the progressive campaign group GetUp. | Benedet has also worked for the former federal Liberal party leader Brendan Nelson and the Howard-era minister Helen Coonan. But he’s best known for his work with Advance Australia, formed in November 2018 as a counterweight to the progressive campaign group GetUp. |
| Benedet helped spearhead the group’s unsuccessful campaign to defend the former prime minister Tony Abbott from a challenge in his seat of Warringah at the 2019 election. | Benedet helped spearhead the group’s unsuccessful campaign to defend the former prime minister Tony Abbott from a challenge in his seat of Warringah at the 2019 election. |
| Advance Australia was criticised during the campaign for producing a sexualised video featuring Abbott’s competitor, Zali Steggall. | Advance Australia was criticised during the campaign for producing a sexualised video featuring Abbott’s competitor, Zali Steggall. |
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| Sign up to receive the top stories from Guardian Australia every morning | Sign up to receive the top stories from Guardian Australia every morning |
| In a statement, the president of the guild, Trent Twomey, described Benedet as an “experienced and dedicated executive” with “extensive knowledge of both the public and private sectors”. | In a statement, the president of the guild, Trent Twomey, described Benedet as an “experienced and dedicated executive” with “extensive knowledge of both the public and private sectors”. |
| “We are delighted to have recruited such an experienced and driven person to fill this important role in our branch,” Twomey said. | “We are delighted to have recruited such an experienced and driven person to fill this important role in our branch,” Twomey said. |
| “We are confident Gerard will be a committed advocate and branch administrator on behalf of Queensland community pharmacies, helping us to deliver the best possible health services to patients in all parts of the state.” | “We are confident Gerard will be a committed advocate and branch administrator on behalf of Queensland community pharmacies, helping us to deliver the best possible health services to patients in all parts of the state.” |
| Contacted by Guardian Australia on Friday, Benedet said he felt his work at Advance Australia was done: “I did the job I aimed to do. I set it up, I made sure it was successful,” he said. | Contacted by Guardian Australia on Friday, Benedet said he felt his work at Advance Australia was done: “I did the job I aimed to do. I set it up, I made sure it was successful,” he said. |
| Since his departure from Advance Australia in September, the group has appointed the former Western Australian councillor and Liberal party staffer Liz Storer to replace him. | Since his departure from Advance Australia in September, the group has appointed the former Western Australian councillor and Liberal party staffer Liz Storer to replace him. |
| In an interview with the Australian last week, Storer said her first priority would be campaigning against the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion, which she described as “seriously unhinged”. | In an interview with the Australian last week, Storer said her first priority would be campaigning against the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion, which she described as “seriously unhinged”. |
| In an email to members this week, Storer said she wanted to stop the “climate commies” and urged members to sign a petition calling for “tougher penalties for protestors”. | In an email to members this week, Storer said she wanted to stop the “climate commies” and urged members to sign a petition calling for “tougher penalties for protestors”. |
| “Wealth distribution in the name of polar bears is not on,” she wrote. | “Wealth distribution in the name of polar bears is not on,” she wrote. |
| “Bringing our cities to a standstill in a bid to strong-arm our government is not on. Decrying our nation’s sources of prosperity – oil, gas, coal, mining – is not on. | “Bringing our cities to a standstill in a bid to strong-arm our government is not on. Decrying our nation’s sources of prosperity – oil, gas, coal, mining – is not on. |
| “Together, we can push back on those championing an economic crisis to rival the Great Depression.” | “Together, we can push back on those championing an economic crisis to rival the Great Depression.” |
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| GetUp | GetUp |
| One Nation | One Nation |
| Australian political donations | Australian political donations |
| Queensland | Queensland |
| Liberal party | Liberal party |
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