Gerard Rennick People First

Beginning in 2021, Liberal National Party (LNP) senator Gerard Rennick began to receive criticism for his social media posts and his stance towards both federal and state government measures taken around the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia,{{cite web |title=Hunt queried over senator's 'false information' on COVID |url=https://www.themandarin.com.au/164843-hunt-queried-over-senators-false-information-on-covid/ |last=Coade |first=Melissa |date=3 August 2021 |website=The Mandarin |publisher=Private Media |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211023114526/https://www.themandarin.com.au/164843-hunt-queried-over-senators-false-information-on-covid/ |archive-date=23 October 2021 }}{{cite news |last1=McGowan |first1=Michael |last2=Knaus |first2=Christopher |date=23 November 2021 |title=Liberal MP Gerard Rennick floods Facebook with vaccine posts he admits may not be '100% accurate' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/nov/23/liberal-mp-gerard-rennick-floods-facebook-with-vaccine-posts-he-admits-may-not-be-100-accurate |url-status=live |work=Guardian Australia |publisher=Guardian Media Group |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211125033852/https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/nov/23/liberal-mp-gerard-rennick-floods-facebook-with-vaccine-posts-he-admits-may-not-be-100-accurate |archive-date=25 November 2021 }} including state border closures,{{cite news |last=Coorey |first=Phillip |date=24 November 2021 |title=Anti-vaccine rebel MPs claim partial victory, liken premiers to Stalin |url=https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/rebel-senators-claim-partial-victory-20211124-p59bld |url-status=live |work=Australian Financial Review |publisher=Nine Entertainment |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211126193636/https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/rebel-senators-claim-partial-victory-20211124-p59bld |archive-date=26 November 2021 }} domestic travel restrictions and vaccine mandates.{{cite news |last=Martin |first=Sarah |date=1 November 2021 |title=Liberal senator Gerard Rennick to withhold vote in protest against Covid vaccine mandates |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/nov/01/liberal-senator-gerard-rennick-to-withhold-vote-in-protest-against-covid-vaccine-mandates |url-status=live |work=Guardian Australia |publisher=Guardian Media Group |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211103042119/https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/nov/01/liberal-senator-gerard-rennick-to-withhold-vote-in-protest-against-covid-vaccine-mandates |archive-date=3 November 2021 }} Rennick's critical stance towards government policy continued throughout 2021–2022, and was labelled a "rebel" right-wing MP.{{cite web |title=Queensland rebel Liberal senator says he'll withhold vote over COVID issues |url=https://theconversation.com/queensland-rebel-liberal-senator-says-hell-withhold-vote-over-covid-issues-170951 |date=1 November 2021 |website=The Conversation |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211104054022/https://theconversation.com/queensland-rebel-liberal-senator-says-hell-withhold-vote-over-covid-issues-170951 |archive-date=4 November 2021 }}{{cite news |last=Elks |first=Sarah |date=7 July 2023 |title=Rebel Queensland Liberal senator Gerard Rennick booted off ticket |url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation%2Frebel-queensland-liberal-senator-gerard-rennick-booted-off-ticket%2Fnews-story%2F06e5e682a1a4497a7595b9b72764c033 |url-status=live |work=The Australian |publisher=News Corp Australia |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240407120730/https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation%2Frebel-queensland-liberal-senator-gerard-rennick-booted-off-ticket%2Fnews-story%2F06e5e682a1a4497a7595b9b72764c033 |archive-date=7 April 2024 }} By early July 2023 Rennick narrowly lost preselection for the LNP's Senate ticket at the next federal election (2025).{{Cite news |last=Sakkal |first=Paul |date=7 July 2023 |title=Anti-vax Coalition MP Gerard Rennick dumped |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/anti-vax-coalition-mp-dumped-20230707-p5dmnb.html |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |publisher=Nine Entertainment |archive-date=9 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230709013303/https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/anti-vax-coalition-mp-dumped-20230707-p5dmnb.html |url-status=live }}

In August 2024, Rennick quit the LNP and announced a new political party to contest the 2025 federal election.{{cite news |last=Wright |first=Shane |date=25 August 2024 |title=Queensland senator Gerard Rennick quits LNP for crossbench |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/queensland-senator-gerard-rennick-quits-lnp-for-crossbench-20240825-p5k56s.html |url-status=live |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |publisher=Nine Entertainment |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240826011655/https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/queensland-senator-gerard-rennick-quits-lnp-for-crossbench-20240825-p5k56s.html |archive-date=26 August 2024 }}{{cite news |date=26 August 2024 |title=Gerard Rennick quits LNP and reveals plan to register 'People First' party |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/aug/26/gerard-rennick-quits-lnp-liberal-national-launch-people-first-party |url-status=live |work=Guardian Australia |publisher=Guardian Media Group |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240827015657/https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/aug/26/gerard-rennick-quits-lnp-liberal-national-launch-people-first-party |archive-date=27 August 2024 }} Several months later in December 2024, the party was officially registered by the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC).

{{Further|2025 Australian federal election|Candidates of the 2025 Australian federal election}}

Ahead of the 2025 federal election, it was announced in March 2025 that People First had entered into an electoral alliance with the HEART Party and the Libertarian Party.{{cite web |author=Jason Q Citizen |title=BREAKING: Libertarians, People First and Heart form Australia First Alliance |url=https://thedailyaustralian.substack.com/p/breaking-libertarians-people-first |date=6 March 2025 |work=The Daily Australian |via=Substack }}{{cite web |title=Press Release – Australia First Alliance |url=https://heartparty.com.au/Aust-First-Alliance |date=12 March 2025 |website=heartparty.com.au |publisher=HEART Party }} The announced agreement, known as the "Australia First Alliance", placed People First Senate candidates on a joint ticket with both the HEART Party and the Libertarian Party in New South Wales,{{Cite tweet |user=LibertariansNSW |number=1897131498798760292 |date=5 March 2025 |title=Australia First Alliance to Run Joint NSW Senate Ticket |access-date=16 April 2025 }} and on a joint ticket with the HEART Party in Victoria. The following month (14 April), People First entered into another electoral agreement: uniting with the Townsville-based Katter's Australian Party (KAP) on a joint Senate ticket for Queensland.{{cite news |last=McGuire |first=Nikita |date=14 April 2025 |title=KAP Herbert candidate Darryn Casson on his campaign, as Senate candidate Robert Lyon announced |url=https://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/news%2Fkap-herbert-candidate-darryn-casson-on-his-campaign-as-senate-candidate-robert-lyon-announced%2Fnews-story%2F8c73e07993e0c1ab0f3c4423f6ca6226 |work=Townsville Bulletin |publisher=News Corp Australia }}

For the 2025 federal election, People First had a total of 25 candidates running across the country.{{cite web |title=Our 2025 Federal Candidates |url=https://peoplefirstparty.au/team/ |date= |website=peoplefirstparty.au }} Party leader, Gerard Rennick, was the lead Senate candidate for Queensland, where the majority (16/25) of its candidates were running. Rennick stated the party had over 2,000 members by May 2025, with an aim to have 5,000 by the next election.{{Cite mailing list |last=Rennick |first=Gerard |title=The Senate results are in |mailing-list=Senator Gerard Rennick |date=2025-05-30 |url=https://gerardrennick.activehosted.com/index.php?action=social&chash=85d8ce590ad8981ca2c8286f79f59954.212&s=0f24e784d83841020db97b98a43d0731 |access-date=2025-05-30 |publication-place=Brisbane |language=en-au |author-link=Gerard Rennick}} People First got 151,310 or 0.95% of the vote, failing to get any candiate elected.

Rennick is a right-wing{{cite news |last=McKenna |first=Michael |date=29 April 2024 |title=Queensland senator Gerard Rennick launches legal action against LNP |url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation%2Fqueensland-senator-gerard-rennick-launches-legal-action-against-lnp%2Fnews-story%2F306a97ea9dcecb9ed9789c2d10db1386 |work=The Australian |publisher=News Corp Australia |quote=Senator Rennick, an accountant, is seen as a right-wing renegade in the party ranks who, notably, withdrew his vote for the Morrison government in 2021 in protest against Covid-19 vaccine mandates. }} to far-right former politician. He describes himself as a protectionist{{cite web |title=The Senate – Questions Without Notice: Take Note Of Answers – Budget Speech |url=https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Hansard/Hansard_Display?bid=chamber/hansards/26728/&sid=0123 |date=10 May 2023 |website=aph.gov.au |publisher=Parliament of Australia |via=Hansard }}{{cite web |title=The Senate – Questions Without Notice: Take Note Of Answers – Cost Of Living Speech |url=https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Hansard/Hansard_Display?bid=chamber/hansards/27141/&sid=0134 |date=13 November 2023 |website=aph.gov.au |publisher=Parliament of Australia |via=Hansard |quote= I call myself a protectionist. The Liberal Party were the original party of that, before the free traders came in, and I like to remind my own party of that from time to time. We are here to protect the working-class people. }} and on economic policy said he favoured a "protectionist nationalist" form of capitalism.{{cite news |last=Owens |first=Jared |date=26 September 2018 |title=Australia needs to develop nuclear weapons and stop 'vilifying' Russia, says Liberal candidate |url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation%2Fpolitics%2Faustralia-needs-to-develop-nuclear-weapons-and-stop-vilifying-russia-says-liberal-candidate%2Fnews-story%2F2f481de9bbf24983be6832ed232460a9 |work=The Australian |publisher=News Corp Australia }} Since the party's foundation, it has been characterised as conservative, particularly its economic policies,{{cite web |title=From anti-climate science to 'pro-life': What every single minor party actually stands for. |url=https://www.mamamia.com.au/minor-parties-federal-election/ |last=Delaney |first=Ailish |date=23 April 2025 |website=Mamamia |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250428090033/https://www.mamamia.com.au/minor-parties-federal-election/ |archive-date=28 April 2025 |access-date=29 April 2025 }} and right-wing, while holding a "staunchly right-wing political stance" with a "very committed base of supporters".{{cite web |last1=Bruns |first1=Axel |last2=Vilkins |first2=Samantha |last3=Vodden |first3=Laura |last4=FitzGerald |first4=Kate |title=2025 Federal Election: Mid-Campaign Update |url=https://research.qut.edu.au/dmrc/2025/04/23/2025-federal-election-mid-campaign-update/ |date=23 April 2025 |website=research.qut.edu.au |publisher=Queensland University of Technology |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250425082502/https://research.qut.edu.au/dmrc/2025/04/23/2025-federal-election-mid-campaign-update/ |archive-date=25 April 2025 |access-date=29 April 2025 }}

Rennick, an accountant by trade,{{cite news |last=Workman |first=Alice |date=1 February 2022 |title=Hey, Abbott |url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary%2Fstrewth%2Fhey-abbott%2Fnews-story%2F0c7a447750e5f676885c9918c1693d42 |work=The Australian |publisher=News Corp Australia }} has claimed Australia's current rate of withholding tax provided an incentive for multinational firms to "ship their profits offshore", and called for lowering the company tax rate to 12%, more than half its current rate (2019).{{cite news |last=Conifer |first=Daniel |date=22 April 2019 |title=Coalition candidate Gerard Rennick floats 12 per cent company tax rate, suggests early education a conspiracy |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-22/gerard-rennick-liberal-party-queensland-senate-conspiracies/11034682 |url-status=live |work=ABC News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220331112050/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-22/gerard-rennick-liberal-party-queensland-senate-conspiracies/11034682 |archive-date=31 March 2022 }} He also cited Australia's system of corporate revenue collection was "why I really want to run" for Parliament. Rennick has also called for scrapping franking credits, stating: "So, if you really wanted to reform the tax system... you should get rid of franking credits altogether and just have a lower, flatter company tax rate."{{cite web |title=Look who doesn't have to pay tax |url=https://gerardrennick.com.au/look-who-doesnt-have-to-pay-tax/ |date=14 November 2023 |website= gerardrennick.com.au |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240325005726/https://gerardrennick.com.au/look-who-doesnt-have-to-pay-tax/ |archive-date=25 March 2024 }}

• Withdrawal of Australia from the World Health Organization (WHO).{{cite web |title= Health Policy |url= https://peoplefirstparty.au/policies/health/ |website= Gerard Rennick People First |access-date= 15 March 2025}}
• Remove all funding and references to climate change.{{cite web |title= Energy Policy |url= https://peoplefirstparty.au/policies/energy/ |website= Gerard Rennick People First |access-date= 15 March 2025}}
• Drop net-zero and leave the Paris Agreement.
• Supports coal, nuclear, gas and hydro energy.
• Raising the tax-free threshold from $18,200 to $40,000.{{cite web |title=Lower Income Tax |url=https://peoplefirstparty.au/policies/lower-income-tax/ |website=peoplefirstparty.au }}
• Giving childcare subsidy payments directly to parents (subject to welfare checks).{{cite web |title=Flexible Childcare |url=https://peoplefirstparty.au/policies/flexible-childcare/ |website=peoplefirstparty.au }}
• Advocate that superannuation be voluntary and use the savings to lift the pension.{{cite web |title=Voluntary Superannuation |url=https://peoplefirstparty.au/policies/voluntary-superannuation/ |website=peoplefirstparty.au }}
• Call a Federal Convention to streamline the duplication of roles and responsibilities of State and Federal Governments.{{cite web |title=Streamline The Bureaucracy |url=https://peoplefirstparty.au/policies/streamline-the-bureaucracy/ |website=peoplefirstparty.au }}
• Advocate to means-test the pensions of retired white-collar public servants.
• Abolish the Climate Change Department and subsidies for renewables.
• Reinstatement of a public bank (similar to the Commonwealth Bank between 1911 and 1991) and reintroduce a Government Insurance Office.{{cite web |title=Public Bank & Insurance Office |url=https://peoplefirstparty.au/policies/public-bank-insurance-office/ |website=peoplefirstparty.au }}
• Establishing a "Infrastructure Bank", which would issue bonds to the Federal and State Governments for seven types of Infrastructure – Dams, Baseload Power Stations (not renewables), Roads, Rail, Ports, Airports and Telecommunications.{{cite web |title=Infrastructure Bank |url=https://peoplefirstparty.au/policies/infrastructure-bank/ |website=peoplefirstparty.au }}
• Abolish the "Multicultural Department".{{efn|There is no official "Multicultural Department" within the Australian Government. Responsibilities for matters relating to it are within the Department of Home Affairs.}}{{cite web |title= Environment Policy |url= https://peoplefirstparty.au/policies/environment/ |website= Gerard Rennick People First |access-date= 15 March 2025}}
• Lower the corporate tax rate to 25%.{{cite web |title= TAXATION REFORM POLICY |url= https://peoplefirstparty.au/policies/taxation-reform/ |website= Gerard Rennick People First |access-date= 15 March 2025}}
• Hold a referendum on enshrining freedom of speech in the Constitution.{{cite web |title=Freedom of Speech |url=https://peoplefirstparty.au/policies/freedom-of-speech/ |date= |website=peoplefirstparty.au |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250312094334/https://peoplefirstparty.au/policies/freedom-of-speech/ |archive-date=12 March 2025 }}
• Limit immigration to under 100,000 work visas and incentivise settlement in regional areas.{{cite web |title=Immigration |url=https://peoplefirstparty.au/policies/immigration/ |date= |website=peoplefirstparty.au |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250312094337/https://peoplefirstparty.au/policies/immigration/ |archive-date=12 March 2025 }}
• Prevent welfare benefits to foreign-born citizens for a ten-year period; repeal the Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early Professionals Scheme (MATES){{cite news |last=Sebastian |first=Meryl |date=24 May 2023 |title=Modi in Australia: Albanese announces migration deal with India |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-65692534 |url-status=live |work=BBC |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250219204448/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-65692534 |archive-date=19 February 2025 }}{{cite news |last=Tillett |first=Andrew |date=24 May 2023 |title=Modi and Albanese sign migration deal |url=https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/modi-and-albanese-ink-migration-deal-20230524-p5dasc |url-status=live |work=Australian Financial Review |publisher=Nine Entertainment |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250307215159/https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/modi-and-albanese-ink-migration-deal-20230524-p5dasc |archive-date=7 March 2025 }} with India.

{{notelist}}

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{{Australian political parties}}

Category:2024 establishments in Australia

Category:Liberal National Party of Queensland breakaway groups

Category:Political parties established in 2024

Category:Political parties in Australia