Daniel Nalliah … president of the Rise Up Australia Party

February 25, 2013

One of Australia’s newest – and possibly smallest – political parties held an information and fund-raising rally in Kingaroy on Sunday evening.

The “Rise Up Australia Party” was begun in 2010 by Pastor Daniel Nalliah from the Victorian-based Catch the Fire Ministries.

The party mixes a conservative brand of Christianity with a strong mix of national pride.

“Number one, I am accountable to God,” Nalliah told the 30 or so supporters at the Town Common Hall. “And then to my nation.”

“I am ready for a 20-year fight.”

Nalliah said he supported farmers and producers and was alarmed by foreign purchases of Australian farms.

He said he opposed multiculturalism but supported a “multi-ethnic” Australia where there were many races but “one culture”.

Nalliah was born in Sri Lanka and he told the meeting “my country of birth cannot be changed”. But he said he was now an Australian who carried an Australian passport “with great pride”.

He said Rise Up Australia would stop “illegal” boat arrivals and “secret allowances” allegedly paid to refugees, instead paying the money to pensioners.

The party was also concerned about the falling birth rate which it wanted to bolster by policies supporting women not to have abortions, encouraging adoptions and protecting traditional family units.

The party would resist the “promotion of homosexuality” as a normal practice, and opposed same-sex marriage, bigamy, polygamy and “Centrelink funding of such practices”.

The Bible reference that “sparing the rod spoiled the child” brought rounds of applause from the audience, as did the suggestion that police should use truncheons rather than tasers.

Nalliah also said a “reduction in the intake of Moslems into the country” may be necessary, a policy that he admitted would be controversial.

He also said he supported some restrictions on what can be preached and taught in mosques.

He laughed off suggestions that Rise Up Australia was a new Pauline Hanson-type White Australia Party.

“It’s founding president is a black fellow so how can it be a White Australia Party?” he asked.

Nalliah said one-third of all the party’s members and candidates were non-white Australians.

As he led the crowd through the party’s “policy principles”, there were shouts of “Yes!” and “Wow!”, interpersed with loud applause and the waving of Australian flags.

At one point the meeting paused to allow the playing of the party’s “song” which many of those in attendance joined in singing.

Nalliah said Rise Up Australia had confirmed its Senate ticket but was looking for 52 candidates to stand for the House of Representatives at the next Federal election.

But because the party did not have large financial backers, donations from supporters were necessary.

“One of the things we need desperately is money,” he said.

He urged his supporters to leave a donation in the plastic bucket near the door and to sign pledge forms to make donations.

Daniel Nalliah preaches to the party faithful – and interested locals – at Sunday evening’s rally