Former Soldier to Run as Independent After Being Ousted From Liberal Party for Diversity Comments

Benjamin Britton blamed party factionalism for his disendorsement and claimed Peter Dutton was being undermined.

Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton (right) is seen speaking during the Queensland Liberal National Party (LNP) annual conference in Brisbane, Australia, on July 8, 2023. AAP Image/Darren England

In a fresh twist to the Whitlam race, former Liberal candidate Benjamin Britton will run as an independent after being dumped by the party.

“I’ve quit the party, and I’m going to run as an independent Whitlam,” Britton declared, as he vowed to continue his campaign despite the setback.

“I can’t [forget] everything that I witnessed, the people out there struggling. I can’t walk away from them, you know. I’m not here for money, I’m not here for fame, not it for power or party politics. I’m here for one reason—the Australian people, to ensure they have a future,” he told 2GB radio on April 8.

Controversial Defence Remarks Cost Candidacy

Britton, a former serviceman, was removed as the Liberal Party’s candidate after comments resurfaced regarding the role of women on the frontline for the Australian Defence Force (ADF).

He also labelled diversity quotas as “woke” and “Marxist,” and argued women should be removed from combat roles to “fix” the military.

“Why would you want to send your beautiful women? Your females, the ones that are the backbone of your society,” Britton was quoted as saying. “Your society only exists because of women. Why would you want to sacrifice them in war, on the altar?”

In response, the Liberal Party of New South Wales said it had not been aware of Britton’s earlier remarks and disendorsed him, citing that his views did not align with party values.

Defending his stance, Britton said he had served alongside “great” and “extraordinary” women in the ADF but maintained, like Andrew Hastie and Jim Molan, that women should not serve in combat roles.

On his disendorsement, he admitted feeling relieved, saying it freed him from “nonsense” and “factionalism,” allowing him to finally speak his mind and represent the people.

People First Party candidate and former servicewoman, Kathryn Chadwick, said women had contributed to the front line since the first World War.

“The real issue here is that the ADF for many years, has been lowering the standards across the board, not just for combat roles, and this has been done largely to achieve, an increase in female recruits,” she told The Epoch Times.

“I am not opposed to women putting their hand up for combat roles, however, the standards of selection, training and service for these roles must be consistent and apply to male and female equally.”

Chadwick also said candidates should be allowed to express their opinion.

“Ben Britton is a veteran and served in combat roles and I consider him to be a subject matter expert on the requirements and demands of the modern combat soldier,” she said, noting she did not believe his comments were intended to “demean or denigrate females.”

Left-Right Factional Deal to Sink Dutton, Britton Claims

Meanwhile, Britton also claimed he was targeted by internal factions.

“It’s because I wouldn’t sign up to a faction. I wouldn’t be controlled, I wouldn’t be told what to say,” he added.

He alleged a coordinated effort within the party to sideline him and undermine federal Liberal leader Peter Dutton.

“At the end of the day, what’s occurring within the New South Wales division right now is a systematic plot from the left, the left faction working hand in glove with members of the right faction who are traitors, to stab Peter in the back, ensure he doesn’t get elected as prime minister so they can roll in as leader,” Britton claimed.

“I’ve been one of his biggest supporters. I’ve tried to get him the message. I’ve been fighting and fighting to stop this, but it’s people who are very close to him who are in on it.”

Britton Labels Accusations ‘Made Up on the Fly’

Britton also described the accusations against him as shifting and fabricated.

“They were actually making up things on the fly, saying, saying you have domestic violence charges that were against you. That’s completely false. I’ve never had a domestic violence in my life.”

He further dismissed claims of sexual assault as baseless rumours.

“No one actually called me and asked me, ‘Hey, did you do this? Did you do that? Or is this true?’ And no one, no one even gave me an opportunity to [rebut] anything,” he said.

However, Britton refrained from naming individuals involved in the alleged smear campaign.

“Look, at the end of the day, naming the hierarchy and the people who are behind it, I don’t think it’s going to be helpful.”

Reflecting on the situation, Britton voiced his disappointment.

“It’s very disrespectful, you know. I was fighting for the party. I was fighting for the people. You know, I was one of the biggest supporters of Peter, and I was doing very well. I was supposedly the star campaign of the New South Wales division.”

The Liberal Party has since endorsed Nathaniel Smith, former state member for Wollondilly (2019–2023) and CEO of the Master Plumbers Association of NSW.

Smith lives with his wife Christine and their two daughters in the Southern Highlands.

Crystal-Rose Jones contributed to this article.