GetUp Strengthens Campaign Team with David Sharaz Appointment
The progressive political campaigning organisation GetUp has announced the appointment of former journalist and public relations executive David Sharaz to a senior leadership position. This strategic hire comes as the group intensifies its efforts to rebuild organisational capacity and confront what it describes as the growing democratic threat posed by well-funded conservative organisations, including Advance Australia.
Sharaz to Lead Media Accountability and Misinformation Campaigns
David Sharaz, who is married to former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins, will spearhead GetUp's initiatives focusing on media accountability, combating misinformation, and enhancing political operations. His role will involve drawing insights from international campaigns, such as the UK-based media reform movement Hacked Off, to develop effective strategies for the Australian political landscape.
Sharaz emphasised the importance of addressing public disenfranchisement in preventing political polarisation. "When people feel isolated, ignored, and disenfranchised, they are pushed toward the political fringes, as recent polling shows," he stated. "The lesson is clear: people need to see their concerns taken seriously and reflected in our political discourse."
GetUp's Renewed Focus Ahead of 2028 Federal Election
Interim co-chief executive Paul Ferris highlighted the changing political environment in Australia as a key factor behind Sharaz's appointment. Ferris criticised media influence, stating, "Rupert Murdoch and his billionaire media mates have used their outlets as weapons, pursuing vendettas and distorting politics in this country. We can't keep allowing that level of power to operate without scrutiny."
GetUp is expanding its workforce and financial resources following a period of consolidation. The organisation reports a growing membership base and a war chest exceeding $1 million, enabling renewed investment in campaign infrastructure. Ferris warned that far-right groups are becoming increasingly organised and well-funded, leveraging both traditional media and social platforms to distort political discourse.
"The democratic threat is real and responding to it requires serious, experienced campaign infrastructure," Ferris asserted. "GetUp members see and understand this threat, and with their support we've rebuilt capacity, strengthened our financial position and are investing again in our movement people because the stakes are too high not to."
Background Context: The Higgins Case and Legal Proceedings
David Sharaz's personal life has been intertwined with high-profile political events. His wife, Brittany Higgins, was at the centre of a rape case that has significantly impacted federal politics since 2021. Coalition staffer Bruce Lehrmann was charged with raping Higgins at Parliament House and pleaded not guilty. A criminal trial was abandoned due to juror misconduct, and another did not proceed over concerns for Higgins' welfare.
The federal court later found, on the civil burden of proof, that Lehrmann raped Higgins. Lehrmann is currently seeking to overturn this ruling in a high court challenge. He was directed to pay $2 million in damages after an initial defamation loss and is required to cover the legal costs of his opponents from his unsuccessful appeal.
Both Higgins and Sharaz were bankrupted in defamation proceedings brought by her former boss, Linda Reynolds, who served as defence minister from 2019 to 2021. This backdrop adds a layer of personal experience to Sharaz's new role in political activism and media reform.
Strategic Objectives and Future Campaigns
GetUp plans to expand its campaigning and communications work in the lead-up to the next federal election, scheduled for early 2028. The organisation aims to combat far-right groups and push the Albanese government for progressive policy outcomes. This renewed focus marks a significant shift for GetUp, whose profile had dipped in recent years due to staff turnover, changes in government, and the emergence of new political players like Advance.
With Sharaz's appointment, GetUp signals a commitment to addressing what it perceives as critical threats to democracy, leveraging his media and campaigning expertise to foster greater accountability and counter misinformation in the Australian political sphere.
