by ABC NEWS Verify can reveal that an anonymous and unapproved pamphlet that was circulated among Sydney voters attacked independent MP Allegra Spender’s position on indefinite detention and accused her of being weak on antisemitism.
The more than twelve-page dossier, which ABC NEWS Verify has seen, also makes an effort to connect Ms. Spender with the Labor administration. Get the most recent information from the campaign trail during the 2025 federal election at Silentnews.org.
The distribution of about 47,000 pamphlets in the Wentworth constituency in eastern Sydney has prompted an urgent investigation by the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC). During a press conference on Monday, Ms. Spender claimed that the effort aimed to harm her and aid her rivals.
“This pamphlet spreads false, misleading, and offensive claims about me and does so anonymously,” Ms. Spender stated during a press conference.
The pamphlet criticized Ms. Spender’s responses to antisemitic attacks.
The bottom of each page of the brochure reads, “Produced by the people of Wentworth for the people of Wentworth,” which puts the author of the leaflet in contempt of election law.
Political communications in Australia must be authorized and contain the name and address of the organization sending the message as well as the identity of the person in charge. The picture displaysAn eye, a ballot paper and box, a pencil, and symbols for love, anger, and social media likes are all included in this well-designed image.
We need your assistance as ABC NEWS exposes the hidden campaign during the federal election, exposing how, why, and by whom you are being targeted.
“The AEC takes these matters very seriously and has worked quickly to identify and make contact with] the entity responsible for these pamphlets,” the agency stated in a statement.
“The AEC investigation is ongoing, and it would not be appropriate to make any further comment at this stage.”
ABC News Verify has seen the pamphlet’s digital form and is aware that it has been making the rounds in WhatsApp groups lately.
Are you more knowledgeable? We invite you to assist us in uncovering the covert campaign during this election.
Who is behind the pamphlet?
Although the document’s writers are still unknown, the digital version of the pamphlet, with the filename IVE01113_Dossier 16pp Quarto 210x275_V2.indd, has a hint as to the printing company.
Images of pamphlet bundles on the street depict them sitting next to another bundle bearing the name of the printing and distribution business IVE.
“Australia’s largest diversified marketing company” is how IVE Group characterizes itself on LinkedIn. According to ABC NEWS Verify, the organization that printed the document was IVE Group. (Group IVE)
The organization appears to be the document printer, according to a voicemail that ABC NEWS Verify was able to get. One of the company’s employees mentions the brochures, and another IVE employee in the voicemail. ABC News. According to Verify, IVE Group employs both the speaker and the person they listed.
The fact that ABC NEWS Verify printed the leaflet does not imply that the corporation wrote it. The business has previously been associated with the Liberal Party.
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Its former executive chair, Geoff Selig, who died in 2024, was a former president of the NSW Liberal Party, while the corporation had previously donated to the NSW branch of the Liberal Party.
The NSW Liberal Party was questioned by ABC NEWS Verify about whether it or Liberal candidate Ro Knox for Wentworth was involved in the pamphlet’s creation. “Everything we produce has our authorization on it,” a spokesperson retorted.
“We’re running a properly authorised campaign and strongly believe it’s important for all election material to have the appropriate authorization,” the spokesman said in a statement.
