Teresa van Lieshout

Teresa van Lieshout
Born1971 (age 52–53)
Mundijong, Western Australia, Australia
Alma materUniversity of Notre Dame Australia
Political partyIndependent
Other political
affiliations		One Nation (2005)
West Australian (2011)
Palmer United (2013) Protectionist (2013)
Voter Rights (2018)

Teresa Angela van Lieshout (born 1971) is an Australian far-right conspiracy theorist and perennial candidate. She has contested elections between 2004 and 2019. In 2021, she was arrested for allegedly taking part in a plot to overthrow the government.[1]

Early life

Van Lieshout was born and raised in Mundijong, Western Australia. Her parents were Dutch migrants.[2]

Political career

Van Lieshout contested Swan as an independent in the 2004 Australian federal election, receiving 1.4%.[3]

She was a candidate for Pauline Hanson's One Nation in the 2005 Western Australian state election. Contesting the multi-member South Metropolitan Region, she and her fellow candidate Neil Gilmour received 1.2% of the vote.[4]

She contested the 2006 Victoria Park state by-election as an independent, coming last place with 0.27%.[5]

In March 2013, van Lieshout ran as an independent in the Western Australia state election for the district of Willagee. She received 1.8% of the vote.[6]

On 20 June 2013, van Lieshout was endorsed by Clive Palmer's United Australia Party to contest Fremantle in the federal election, having turned down offers by the Australian Democrats and Katter's Australian Party.[6] The party rescinded its endorsement two weeks later. Van Lieshout initially claimed this was done by party executives without Palmer's knowledge and refused to accept the decision,[7] however he would later label her an opportunist. In response, van Lieshout accused Palmer of promoting human trafficking with his policies on asylum seekers.[8] She would go on to contest the seat for the white nationalist Australian Protectionist Party, receiving 0.24% of the vote.[9]

In April 2014, she contested the 2014 Australian Senate special election in Western Australia. Later in October, she ran in the 2014 Vasse state by-election, raising attention by posing in a bikini in a campaign ad. She placed last with 1.4% of the vote.[10]

In 2015, she contested the 2015 Canning by-election. She launched her campaign with a dance video.[11] She received 0.64% of the vote.[12]

In the 2016 Australian federal election, she ran for the senate in New South Wales alongside Colin Bennett. Together they received 0.09%.[13]

She contested the 2018 Batman by-election as an independent, receiving 1.5% of the vote.[14] After she did not receive an invitation to a candidates' forum discussing climate change, Van Lieshout picketed the event with her mouth taped shut.[15]

In 2019, she contested Cooper in the 2019 Australian federal election. During the campaign, she was captured on video berating two Nigerian men in the street, telling them to get out of her country and claiming that foreigners are being brought to Australia to murder Australian-born citizens.[16] Despite the video, she denied being racist and claimed that the men had verbally abused her beforehand.[17] She placed last and received 1.7% of the vote.[18]

Van Lieshout has attempted to launch two political parties of her own, the West Australian Party (not to be confused with the earlier Western Australian Party or the later Western Australia Party), and the Voter Rights Party.[2][19] Van Lieshout's attempt to register the Voter Rights Party was rejected by the Electoral Commission in 2018.[20]

Views

Van Lieshout has campaigned on a platform of banning psychiatry. This is due to her brother being involuntarily institutionalised after he was diagnosed with schizophrenia. She claims he was nearly killed after being pumped full of drugs.[6]

She supports the policy of sending asylum seekers to the immigration detention facilities of Christmas Island, Manus Island, and Nauru.[6]

She wants all Islamic schools to be closed.[21]

She is against same-sex marriage, preferring civil unions instead.[22]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, van Lieshout has given speeches at anti-lockdown protests. She has also sold fake "mask exemption badges".[23]

Van Lieshout has been described as being far-right.[24][25][26]

In 2013, Van Lieshout was convicted for breaching planning laws after putting up political signage outside her home during an election. She had two appeals rejected by the Supreme Court of Western Australia.[6]

On 8 September 2015, a warrant was issued for her arrest after she failed to show up at court on charges of breaching bail, stealing, and wilful unlawful damage in relation to the destruction of a wheel clamp placed on her car.[27][28] She referred to the trial as "a Nazi fascist process" and called for the judge to be arrested.[29] After this was reported in the Mandurah Mail, van Lieshout lashed out in a tirade on Facebook and left them abusive voicemails.[30] Her attacks were condemned by the local Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance chapter.[31] By 9 November, she had been arrested.[32]

Coup plot

Van Lieshout was arrested after importing 470 fake police badges. She was part of a group called "Equity of the People's Nation", which aims to form an alternative police force to arrest politicians and other public servants. The group was brought to the attention of police after a video went viral showing a man claiming to be a police officer holding a recruitment meeting for this alternative police force. In the video, he refers to van Lieshout as "the true governor-general".[1][23] After a 9 July Zoom call with one thousand members of the group during which van Lieshout threatened violence against Australian political leaders, the group distanced itself from her and subsequently splintered.[33]

In January 2022, she was refused bail. Her proposed guarantor had previously been fined for breaching COVID-19 rules, which judge Brett Dixon said made him unsuitable. She was remanded in custody until March.[23] On 11 March, van Lieshout was granted electronically-monitored home detention bail under the condition that she take medication for her mental health and does not use the internet to post videos or speak to her followers.[24] While van Lieshout denies being mentally ill, her lawyers attempted to argue a mental incompetence defence. Prosecutors rejected this defence and laid an additional charge against her in April.[34] In September, it was reported that two psychiatrists had declared her competent to stand trial, but incompetent to have committed a crime due to a delusional disorder.[25]

In May 2023, van Lieshout fired her lawyer and was subject to further bail restrictions after continued Twitter usage and taking part in a YouTube interview wherein she justified her actions.[26] In September 2023 van Lieshoud pleaded guilty to falsely representing herself to be a Commonwealth public official and importing false Australian Federal Police badges.[35]

Other activities

Van Lieshout is a deregistered teacher. She has a Master of Education from the University of Notre Dame Australia.[31] Her registration as a teacher was cancelled in April 2015.[29] She claimed this was done by the government to destroy her political career.[27]

She has published four non-fiction books.[36][37][38][39]

In 2014, after police dropped the investigation into historical rape claims against Australian Labor Party leader Bill Shorten, van Lieshout published a video expressing support for the accuser and claiming that "the male gender is not morally fit to be politicians or police officers".[40]

In 2016, van Lieshout organised a petition to stop the Commonwealth Bank of Australia from closing its branch in the suburb of Brighton-Le-Sands.[41]

In 2018, a member of Ordo Templi Orientis successfully sued a woman for defamation after she shared a video made by van Lieshout in which van Lieshout accuses the group of being Satanic pedophiles.[42]

References

  1. ^ a b Tlozek, Eric (10 September 2021). "Peterborough woman Teresa Van Lieshout arrested over fake police badges". ABC. Archived from the original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  2. ^ a b "About the Founder".
  3. ^ "2004 Federal Election Swan Electorate Profile". ABC. 8 November 2004. Archived from the original on 29 July 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  4. ^ Green, Antony (9 June 2023). "Western Australian election results 2005" (PDF). Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 December 2013. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  5. ^ "Vict Pk by-election report final.doc" (PDF). Western Australian Electoral Commission. 2006. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 December 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  6. ^ a b c d e Le May, Rebecca (20 June 2013). "Clive Palmer backs Teresa van Lieshout as a candidate before meeting her". Adelaide Now. Archived from the original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  7. ^ "Palmer party dumps WA candidate". WA Today. 2 July 2013.
  8. ^ "Dumped WA candidate says Clive Palmer is promoting human trafficking". Adelaide Now. 5 July 2013.
  9. ^ "House of Representatives Division First Preferences". Australian Electoral Commission. 3 October 2013. Archived from the original on 24 January 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  10. ^ Green, Antony (18 October 2014). "Results: 2014 Vasse By-election". ABC Elections. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  11. ^ Foster, Brendan (31 August 2015). "Canning byelection: Teresa van Lieshout's dancing her way into politics". WA Today. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  12. ^ "First Preferences and Two Candidate Preferred, 2015 Canning by-election". Australian Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 22 October 2015.
  13. ^ "Senate: First preferences by candidate". Australian Electoral Commission. 9 August 2016. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  14. ^ "2018 Batman by-election". ABC. 26 April 2018. Archived from the original on 29 March 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  15. ^ McGinn, Christine (5 March 2018). "Batman by-election candidates speak out". The North West Star. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  16. ^ Hayman-Reber, Madeline (18 May 2019). "Cooper candidate unleashes racist rant on African men". NITV News. SBS. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  17. ^ Lambert, Olivia (18 May 2019). "'I was born here': Election candidate denies racist claims after street rant caught on video". Yahoo News. Archived from the original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  18. ^ "Cooper, VIC - AEC Tally Room". Australian Electoral Commission. 10 June 2019. Archived from the original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  19. ^ "Leadership".
  20. ^ "Voter Rights Party - Statement of reasons" (PDF). Australian Electoral Commission. 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  21. ^ "Political bite-sized meaty chunks". Crikey. 20 February 2006. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  22. ^ Hondros, Nathan (6 September 2015). "Canning byelection - question time for candidates". Mandurah Mail. Archived from the original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  23. ^ a b c Fewster, Sean (14 January 2022). "Former political candidate Teresa van Lieshout refused bail over alleged bid to start rival police force and overthrow government". Adelaide Now.
  24. ^ a b Fewster, Sean (11 March 2022). "Former far-right political candidate Teresa van Lieshout claims mental health defence, but no illness, in 'government overthrow' case". Adelaide Now.
  25. ^ a b Fewster, Sean (16 September 2022). "Court asked to declare far-right political hopeful Teresa Angela van Lieshout mentally incompetent over 'terror' plot". Adelaide Now.
  26. ^ a b Fewster, Sean (20 May 2023). "Far-right political candidate Teresa van Lieshout tells SA court she wants to stand trial over alleged plot to overthrow government". Adelaide Now.
  27. ^ a b Young, Emma (8 September 2015). "Canning byelection: arrest warrant for Teresa van Lieshout after court no-show". WA Today. Archived from the original on 16 January 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  28. ^ "Warrant issued for Canning by-election candidate Teresa Van Lieshout". ABC. 8 September 2015. Archived from the original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  29. ^ a b Hondros, Nathan; Hedley, Kate (4 September 2015). "Canning candidate van Lieshout faces tough questions after court no show". Mandurah Mail. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  30. ^ Hedley, Kate (6 September 2015). "Canning byelection: candidate Teresa van Lieshout in attack on Mandurah Mail". WA Today. Archived from the original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  31. ^ a b Young, Emma (7 September 2015). "Teresa van Lieshout - criminal charges, abusive rants don't disqualify Canning candidate". Mandurah Mail. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  32. ^ Hondros, Nathan (9 November 2015). "Canning candidate Teresa van Lieshout behind bars after court no-show". Mandurah Mail. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  33. ^ Wilson, Cam (6 August 2021). "The inside story: how homegrown 'true patriots' sharing conspiracies on a Zoom call sparked police raids across three states". Crikey. Archived from the original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  34. ^ Fewster, Sean (29 April 2022). "Teresa Angela van Lieshout, accused of importing fake police badges, maintains she is of sound mind – her lawyers disagree". Adelaide Now. Archived from the original on 30 April 2022. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  35. ^ Evans, Duncan (15 September 2023). "Conspiracy theorist Teresa Angela Van Lieshout plans tell-all book". news.com.au. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  36. ^ "Praying for the nation : a vision for the Commonwealth of Australia". National Library of Australia. Archived from the original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  37. ^ "Spiritual education and the curriculum framework : a vision for public education in Western Australia". National Library of Australia. Archived from the original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  38. ^ "Faith and politics: a framework for Australian social and political life". National Library of Australia.
  39. ^ "Enough is enough : an analysis of September 11th, Afghanistan and Iraq". National Library of Australia. Archived from the original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  40. ^ Kelly, Joe (2 May 2019). "ALP puts backer of rape claim above Liberal in Cooper". The Weekend Australian. Archived from the original on 8 April 2023. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  41. ^ Kolimar, Eva (24 February 2016). "Residents and business owners oppose closure of Commonwealth Bank at Brighton-Le-Sands". The Leader. Archived from the original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  42. ^ Sainty, Lane (23 April 2018). "This Woman Has To Pay $19,000 For Sharing A Defamatory Video On Facebook". Buzzfeed. Archived from the original on 16 January 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
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