News
22 April, 2025
Disendorsed candidate says he has no regrets
LONGMAN candidate Malachi Brogden Hearne has been disendorsed by Family First Party (FFP) following a number of controversial social media posts.
Despite his disendorsement, Mr Hearne will remain on the ballot as the FFP decision was made after nominations closed.
Family First said they were concerned by comments made by the 19-year-old including that “white people need to start breeding like rabbits” and that Australia was built “solely by white Christian men” and calling women who have abortions “degenerate”.
Family First Queensland Campaign Director, Alex Todd, told The Sentinel the party was made aware of Mr Hearne’s social media activity “too late”, as it came after nominations had already closed and the ballot draw happened.
“What he says and what he shares is not endorsed by us and does not represent our party,” she said.
“Voters in Longman wanting to communicate they support the values of the party have the opportunity to vote for us in the Senate, which is where there is potential for success.”
Family First National Director, Lyle Shelton, addressed the topic when speaking to Six News Australia, saying Mr Hearne “hadn’t been honest” on his pre-selection form.
“This sort of commentary by someone who, quite frankly, should have known better, is not acceptable to our party,” he said.
“We’ve got 100 candidates, one guy has slipped through the net, we’re not going to put up with it.
“Yes it’s regrettable that this wasn’t discovered until after the close of nominations, but we won’t tolerate that sort of thing.”
Mr Shelton added the disendorsement is “not about cancel culture” but upholding the party’s values, adding he disagreed with the claim that women who have abortions are “degenerates”.
“We’re a family party, we believe in morality and moral values, pro-family values,” he said.
“I think women who find themselves with unsupported pregnancies need all the support society can give them.”
Speaking to The Sentinel, Mr Hearne said he “absolutely” stands by his comments, adding he will not apologise “for telling the truth”.
“Family First disendorsed me because I had expressed pro-Australia, pro-Christian rhetoric on Twitter,” he said.
“I had made comments that were in line with Christian principles, comments which offended Family First.
“I have been accused of being a white supremacist and a neo-Nazi, although I never once claimed that white people were superior, I simply believe that white people are being replaced and that we should defend our country peacefully.
Mr Hearne added he believes “in the inherent value, worth, and dignity of all human beings”, and emphasised how ten of Jesus’ apostles “took up the cross” to spread the “good news”.
He said that the party’s disendorsement is a “Judas-style betrayal”.
According to the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC), “the election goes ahead as if nothing has happened”, meaning people can still vote for candidates who have resigned or have been disendorsed.
“Their name will continue to appear on the ballot paper, and they are entitled to receive preferences, and their votes can be distributed to other candidates if they get excluded,” a spokesperson said.
Early voting for the federal election opened this week, with election day taking place on Saturday, May 3.
Postal vote applications close next week, April 30.
