Conservatives' mock superhero 'Captain GetUp' causes confusion

Conservative campaign group Advance Australia has launched a mock superhero called Captain GetUp to 'educate voters'.

Captain GetUp made his first public appearance in Manly.

Captain GetUp made his first public appearance in Manly. Source: Facebook

Dressed in orange tights and a grey cape, Captain GetUp has arrived in Sydney to come to the rescue of Liberal MPs at risk of losing their seats in the May federal election. 

The self-styled "truth crusader" is the creation of conservative lobby group Advance Australia which has been set up to counter the campaigning of progressive group GetUp.

"After 14 years of secret backroom deals I have finally been let out of GetUp HQ!" the mock superhero declared on Tuesday morning in Manly, where former prime minister Tony Abbott is battling to save his Warringah seat. 

"I'm Captain GetUp and I'll be travelling across the country over the next few weeks educating voters about all the clever tricks we use to influence an election."
The character comes with his own Twitter, Instagram and Facebook accounts. 

However, the use of GetUp in his name is already proving problematic for the mock superhero.
Warringah is one of at least six seats held by Liberal MPs being targeted by GetUp and its army of volunteers. 

The left-wing lobby group has been active in Sydney's north shore electorate for weeks, holding various events including a mock early retirement party for Tony Abbott. 

Advance Australia was formed by prominent businessmen to rival GetUp and is focusing its efforts this election on saving those seats.
In a recent update to members, Advance Australia national director Gerard Benedet said they had listened to their wishes to help "mainstream candidates" campaign in marginal seats against independents or "non-mainstream" incumbents. 

"We've already been hard at work campaigning for mainstream values and freedoms in target seats across the country," Mr Benedet wrote in the email sent earlier this month. 


Share
Published 9 April 2019 11:10am
By Rosemary Bolger


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world