#values party

Running where: NSW, QLD, VIC, WA

Prior reviews: None, this is a new party

Does the name Heston Russell mean anything to you? Because, if it does, there’s a good chance you just winced. He is a former soldier whose headline-grabbing activities include selling explicit pornography ostensibly to raise money for a veterans charity, despite telling the charity the content would be PG-rated, and then did not pass on all the money he raised. He also refused to pay the supplier of pins that he tried to sell in an unauthorised Anzac Day fundraiser, and earlier this year he was the subject of a police investigation over an alleged assault at a Sydney party (an allegation that he denies).

The reason he came to prominence after his military service, however, is because of his criticism of investigations into (and media reporting on) alleged war crimes by Australian troops. He’s had a good run on the likes of Sky News getting very mad that anyone would dare assume regular Aussie troops have ever acted in any ignoble way, and even more mad that the Brereton Report did indeed uncover evidence of war crimes and there were actual consequences for those involved.

To this end, the Australian Values Party has a policy for tighter media regulation to stop “trial-by-media”. This is quite funny right now, given another high-profile former soldier, Ben Roberts-Smith, is currently the plaintiff in an extraordinary defamation case. The allegations that are emerging in court—including two witnesses being excused from answering questions on the grounds of self-incrimination, and revelations of murder allegations that were not previously public knowledge by his own key witnesses—are far worse than anything in the “trial-by-media” that prompted Roberts-Smith to pursue the defo action in the first place. It is sure to be the most sensational court case of the year in Australia, and now is hardly a wise time for Heston Russell to be making noise that the media has been so unfair on Australian troops. It appears the opposite is true: the media has been too cautious!

Anyway, such is the character of a man who has decided to call his party Australian Values, which I can only conclude is either a piss-take or a reflection of a very warped idea of “values”. The focus is all about defence and veterans, with a generous side offering of generic anti-mandate rabble-rousing about covid. Given Heston’s colourful personal life, it’s ironic the party has a parliamentary conduct policy demanding that politicians and their staffers meet “exacting ethical and moral standards”, including intrusive drug and alcohol testing.

While scrolling the party website, a pop-up encouraged me to stop voting for policies and start voting for people. Well, if the people you are offering me are Heston Russell & Friends, I will send my preferences elsewhere.

My recommendation: Give the Australian Values Party a weak or no preference.