Riccardo Bosi
Riccardo Umberto Guerrino Bosi (born 9 March 1960) is an Australian conspiracy theorist, motivational speaker and a former Australian Army Special Forces lieutenant colonel.[1][2] He is the founder of Australia One, an unregistered political party.[1]
Early life
Bosi was born and raised in Sydney. Both of his parents are Italian immigrants to Australia.[2]
Political career and controversies
Bosi ran in second place on the Australian Conservatives senate ticket in New South Wales at the 2019 federal election.[3] He was unsuccessful, with the party only receiving 0.49% of the vote.[3] Shortly after the election, he founded the Australia One Party.[2]
Bosi contested the 2020 Eden-Monaro by-election, receiving 513 votes (or 0.54%), the second-lowest of any candidate.[4][5]
In 2021, Bosi was accused of breaching COVID-19 rules in South Australia.[6] During his hearing, he called an Magistrate Jack Fahey an "imbecile" and a "traitor". Bosi, who was appearing via phone, was hung up on.[6]
Bosi has been described by the Australian Associated Press as a "serial misinformation spreader" as a result of conspiracy theories he has promoted on social media.[7] This includes claims that political parties are unconstitutional, that Ukraine is not a sovereign state, and that votes in the 2023 New South Wales state election would be tampered with.[8][9][10] He has appeared on InfoWars with Alex Jones.[11]
Bosi unsuccessfully contested the electorate of Greenway at the 2022 federal election, with 3.25% of the vote.[12] He later led a ticket for the Legislative Council at the 2023 New South Wales state election.[13]
Australia One
Australia One | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | A1 |
| Leader | Riccardo Bosi |
| Founded | 5 October 2019 |
| Ideology | Conservatism |
| Political position | Right-wing to far-right |
| Slogan | "Our best future" |
Australia One, sometime stylised as AUSTRALIAONE and also known simply as A1, is an Australian political party founded by Bosi in October 2019.[2]
A1 endorsed candidates at the 2022 federal election, 2022 Victorian state election and 2023 New South Wales state election.[14] This includes Darren Bergwerf, another conspiracy theorist who has run for the party twice.[14]
The party ran 18 candidates for the New South Wales Legislative Council in 2023.[1] It received 0.78% of the vote.[13]
The party has never been registered with any electoral commissioners at a state or federal level. It is not to be confused with the One Australia Party, which was founded in 1995 and deregistered in 1999.
References
- ^ a b c "'Tear the place down': Inside cookers' bizarre plan to run for NSW Parliament". news.com.au.
- ^ a b c d Patty, Anna (4 September 2020). "Pandemic linked to rise of conspiracy theories". Sydney Morning Herald.
- ^ a b "First preferences by Senate group: New South Wales". AEC Tally Room. Australian Electoral Commission. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
- ^ "Riccardo Bosi Candidate for Eden-Monaro Federal Election". australiaoneparty.com.
- ^ "Eden-Monaro, NSW". Australian Electoral Commission. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
- ^ a b "Accused COVID breacher Riccardo Bosi calls Adelaide magistrate an 'imbecile' during phone hearing". ABC News. 25 October 2021.
- ^ "Party on! Constitution claim judged to be utter nonsense". Australian Associated Press. 21 June 2022.
- ^ Jeffery, Stuart (3 December 2022). "Common(wealth) Knowledge #27: Are political parties unconstitutional?". 6 News Australia.
- ^ Williams, Meghan (18 March 2022). "Ukraine sovereignty claim ignores 30 years of independence". Australian Associated Press.
- ^ "Fact checking the Ohio train derailment disaster". ABC News. 23 February 2023.
Independent candidate starts early with claims of 'electoral fraud' in NSW
- ^ "Former SAS officer Riccardo Bosi leading dangerous anti-vax revolution across Australia". The West Australian. 19 February 2022.
- ^ Greenway, NSW, 2022 Tally Room, Australian Electoral Commission.
- ^ a b "Legislative Council Check Count Statewide Summary". NSW State Election Results 2023. New South Wales Electoral Commission. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
- ^ a b Barker, Emily (3 April 2023). "Anti-vax group My Place is pushing to take 'control of council decisions'". ABC News.