The Prime Minister has categorically denied the ABC’s “baseless conspiracy theories” after it was suggested he was influenced by old family friends who are allegedly part of the QAnon cult.
ABC’s Four Corners examined the QAnon cult on Monday night, along with Sydney man Tim Stewart’s involvement.
Reports say Stewart’s own sister felt compelled to dob in her sibling to the national terror hotline after his activities began to worry her.
Mr Morrison and his wife Jenny have been friends with Mr Stewart and his wife Lynelle since the 1990s.
Jenny had employed Lynelle Stewart at Kirribilli House in a taxpayer-funded job, and both women were bridesmaids at each others’ weddings.
Mr Stewart has even posted pictures of himself at Kirribilli House on social media.
The Stewart family also told Mr Stewart’s mother that they planned to holiday in Hawaii with the Morrison family in 2019, Four Corners alleged.
Image: Instagram
“Tim and Lynelle were just sharing that there was a holiday planned in Hawaii, and my impression was that there was a holiday planned in Hawaii, and my impression was it was going to be quite a few families, which would include many who’ve been going to Hawaii for years,’’ Val Stewart said.
“Scott and Jenny were going to go as well. That was … that was mentioned. Scott and Jenny were going to go.”
The Prime Minister was compelled to cut short his trip after public backlash to him holidaying during a disastrous spate of bushfires, which was the same day Tim Stewart’s family flew to Hawaii.
A spokesman for the Prime Minister said he did not plan to answer questions raised by the ABC program, after their office was contacted.
“The Government will not be responding to the baseless conspiracy theories being peddled by Four Corners,’’ the Prime Minister’s spokesman told news.com.au.
The old family friend also allegedly boasted to QAnon supporters that he could get the Prime Minister to include the term “ritual sex abuse” in a major speech.
Mr Morrison would then go on to use the term “ritual sex abuse” in a formal apology to sex abuse victims.
Four Corners said the Prime Minister had refused to confirm on the record if he had been influenced by Mr Stewart to include the reference.
“Despite being asked repeatedly, the Prime Minister has not answered Four Corners’ questions on the record about whether Tim Stewart passed on information to him about the wording of the apology,’’ the report stated.
Mr Stewart told Four Corners any suggestion he supported violence like the US Capitol riots were “nonsense”.
“I am too busy to read questions relating to the nonsense that’s been put out there, which are just hit pieces,” he said.
He has previously told The Guardian newspaper that it was completely incorrect to assume he had any influence over the Prime Minister.
“I have never spoken to Scott about anything of a political nature. I’m not an adviser. The idea of me talking to him about this … it’s just not true,” he said.
Mr Stewart’s estranged sister Karen Stewart, has been outspoken about her concerns regarding her brothers’ views on social media for years.
“Tim believes that the world has really been taken over by satanic paedophiles, or Luciferian paedophiles,” she told Four Corners.
The Prime Minister also criticised the ABC for pursuing the story, in a recent press conference.
He went on to say that he wanted to make it explicitly clear that he had no links with the cult whatsoever.
“I find it deeply offensive that there would be any suggestion that I would have any involvement or support for such a dangerous organisation,” Mr Morrison said.
“I clearly do not.”
