Charges laid after north shore teal candidate targeted in Liberal-linked threat letter

A 76-year-old man, who claimed to be a supporter of Liberal MP Julian Leeser, has been charged by NSW Police after a series of anonymous threats were made against Berowra teal candidate Tina Brown.

In four letters received since April by Brown and independent Hornsby Shire councillor Nathan Tilbury, a former Liberal who supported the teal, the author accuses Brown of seeking to “punish the Liberal Party” and take “votes away from Leeser” so he would lose on preferences.

On Thursday afternoon, a NSW Police spokeswoman confirmed a man was arrested at his Cowan home about 10.30am and charged with use of “carriage service to menace/harass/offend”. He will appear in Hornsby Local Court next month.

In an 18-page letter received by Tilbury and Brown earlier this week, the author wrote that they planted “Leeser’s corflute at the front of my house” and handed out how-to-vote flyers at a polling booth, adding that this was the “first time in my life I got involved in supporting a candidate”.

“I will hate Tina Brown for the rest of my life and will be wishing her the worst. If I were a Haitian, I would create a voodoo doll resembling her and prick pins into it,” the author wrote, later adding that his contributions during the campaign were a “passive way of diverting thoughts of causing Tina Brown maximum harm”.

“Watch out for white upper-class privileged women bearing gifts. I believe in karma. I am confident that providence will deal Tina Brown the blow she richly deserves. She is truly a loathsome individual whom I hold in absolute contempt.”

Berowra, on Sydney’s upper north shore, remains one of the last blue-ribbon seats in NSW. Leeser, the MP since former immigration minister Philip Ruddock retired in 2016, suffered a near 6 per cent two-party-preferred swing against him at the May federal election, leaving his seat on a margin of 1.6 per cent.

In one paragraph, the author said they noticed Brown at an Anzac Day ceremony, saying: “I realised what it would have been like to feel the presence of Hitler at a Nuremberg Rally. It was annoying to breathe the same air as a wretch like her.

“I hope that before I die, I will be able to confront her and express to her face the low opinion I have of her. Such a vindictive harridan. Death is too good for her,” said the author, describing themselves as a “disgusted, angry and disappointed member of the Berowra electorate”.

Brown and Tilbury have both spoken to police officers at Ku-ring-gai local area command.

In a statement before the arrest, Brown confirmed receipt of a “threatening letter” and said the matter had been reported to the Australian Federal Police. She said it was “deeply troubling” that hostilities had extended months after the election and called on Leeser to assist any police investigations.

“The letter was vile in its language and targeted not only me, but also respected members of our local community,” she said. “I ask for privacy for my family and me during this difficult time.”

Leeser said he became aware of the letter on Wednesday and was “shocked and appalled” by the correspondence. Neither he nor his office knew the identity of the author, but if it were a Liberal volunteer, Leeser said they would never work on a campaign of his again, and if they were a member, would personally seek their expulsion from the party.

“I understand the matter is being investigated by police, and I will assist police fully with that investigation. As the matter may ultimately be the subject of criminal charges, I do not propose to make further comment while the investigation is on foot,” he said.

Towards the end of the rambling letter, the author writes the Liberal Party “produced two twisted and bitter former higher ups”, saying former Liberal prime minister Malcolm Turnbull and Ruddock would be “executed” in an “ideal world”.

“In an ideal world the two of them would be lined up against a wall, blindfolded and executed. And their remains dumped in the sea,” the letter said.

After retiring from federal politics, Ruddock served two terms as mayor of Hornsby council. But the local Liberal conference fractured after the 82-year-old was ousted as he sought another term, saying “senior party members” working on behalf of “property developer interests” had moved to depose him.

The move caused Tilbury, then deputy mayor of Hornsby Shire Council, to resign from the Liberal Party.

During the campaign, photos emerged of Heather Ruddock, who quit the Liberals in August last year after her husband was dumped, handing out for the teals. The letter also attacks Mrs Ruddock, claiming she has mentored Brown and has sought to damage Leeser politically.

“Berowra electorate needs to be fumigated from the likes of them,” the letter stated, referring to the Ruddocks.

After entering parliament in 1973 and serving as a federal Liberal MP for 43 years, including as minister in the Howard and Abbott governments, Ruddock was elected mayor of Hornsby Shire in 2017.

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