Independent and Labor campaigns have raised questions about an apparently coordinated campaign of support for Coalition candidates by members of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church.
Campaigns have reported unusually large numbers of Liberal volunteers manning pre-poll booths in some key marginal seats, and believe many are church members mobilised by the Brethren.
Both the Coalition and the Brethren have denied any kind of arrangement of support.
Independent MP Andrew Gee, who is running against the National Party to hold his seat of Calare, said the Coalition needs to be up-front about where the support has come from.
"I think the National Party has to answer what they're giving in return for all of this support they're getting on the ground. And you can't pretend to turn a blind eye to this," he said.
The ABC has been provided with text messages claimed to have been sent within church groups that suggest a degree of coordination in how Brethren volunteers are working on booths.
The messages outline how to respond if members are approached while working at polling booths.
They suggest not directly answering any questions about which church they belong to, and not getting drawn into long conversations.
The Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, often referred to as the Exclusive Brethren, is a small, conservative Christian sect with around 15,000 members in Australia.
Former members have described a controlling environment within the church, with strict views on gender roles, restrictions on how members dress and behave, and firm opposition to homosexuality.
The Brethren pushes back on those suggestions, arguing its practices align with principles set out in the Bible, and are similar to mainstream Christian religions.
Some members choose not to vote on religious grounds.
Liberal Party sources have told the ABC reports of the Brethren's support are overstated, and they do not vet their candidates based on their religion.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said the party welcomes supporters of all faiths.
"We're not discriminating against anybody on the basis of their religion," he said.
"We have people of, I suspect, every religion supporting us and I'll make sure that we have the ability to get our message out, which we do through our volunteers."
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said there were questions to be asked about how the support had come about.
"(The Coalition) needs to explain going forward — where are all these people coming from? Why are they campaigning?" he said.
Brethren rejects campaign suggestions
The Brethren has rejected any suggestion it is coordinating a political campaign to back the Coalition, but acknowledged members might be volunteering.
In a statement, church spokesperson Lloyd Grimshaw said individual church members were entitled to back any politician they like.
"That said, we are anecdotally aware that parishioners from our church have decided to volunteer this year for a variety of candidates from the Liberal Party, teals, Nationals, One Nation and Labor, amongst others.
"It is for those wishing to volunteer for various candidates to mobilise themselves, in conjunction with the political candidates they are supporting."
"Everyone in Australia has the right to volunteer in elections irrespective of their religion, and members of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church have the same right," he said.
Allegations of intimidation on polling booths
Independent MP Andrew Gee says he suspects Brethren members set out to intimidate him and his campaign staff, by following him from polling booth to polling booth.
Mr Gee says his campaign staff have spoken to National Party volunteers who have confirmed they are Brethren members.
Labor sources have also claimed to have witnessed Liberal volunteers, who they believe to be Brethren members, intimidating voters and other volunteers at polling booths.
That includes crowding out Labor volunteers on booths, or telling voters "Labor wants to kill babies" as they approach the booth.
A message seen by the ABC, claimed to have been sent within Brethren circles, suggests using female members of the church to hand out how-to-vote cards, while male members are to answer any questions.
One ex-member of the church said while church members don't ordinarily vote, the church has long held an interest in politics.
Ben Woodbury left the church nearly a decade ago, and said while the church was quietly active in politics when he left, the scale of the support this campaign is unusual.
"We were always involved, volunteering and handing out pamphlets — it was always kind of secretly done after hours — it was always kind of under wraps," he said.
"This — I'm so surprised by this."
He said on one day he was followed by more than two dozen volunteers as he travelled between three booths.
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