Progressive campaigning group GetUp has appointed former journalist David Sharaz to a senior role as it rebuilds its organisational strength and prepares to challenge conservative groups, including Advance. Sharaz, married to former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins, will lead campaigns on media accountability, misinformation, and political operations, drawing on international experience from groups like UK-based Hacked Off.
GetUp interim co-chief executive Paul Ferris said the appointment reflects a changing political environment in Australia. 'Rupert Murdoch and his billionaire media mates have used their outlets as weapons, pursuing vendettas and distorting politics,' Ferris said. He warned that far-right groups are becoming better organised and funded, using traditional and social media to distort politics, posing a 'democratic threat' that requires serious campaign infrastructure.
GetUp has expanded its workforce and financial position after a period of consolidation, with a growing membership and a war chest exceeding $1 million. Sharaz told Guardian Australia the organisation plans to ramp up campaigning ahead of the 2028 federal election, focusing on combating far-right groups and pushing for progressive policy outcomes from the Albanese government. 'When people feel isolated and disenfranchised, they are pushed toward the political fringes,' he said.
Sharaz's appointment comes amid ongoing legal battles related to his wife, Brittany Higgins. Former Coalition staffer Bruce Lehrmann was found on the balance of probabilities to have raped Higgins, a ruling he is challenging in the High Court. Higgins and Sharaz were both bankrupted in defamation proceedings brought by former defence minister Linda Reynolds.
