The logo for Liberal staffer-run tech Overton Solutions and its tool being used on far-right Turning Point Australia's website (Image: Overton Solutions, Turning Point Australia)

In the days before the Victorian Liberal Party meeting that saw Moira Deeming suspended, Australian anti-vaccine group Reignite Democracy Australia called on its supporters to oppose disciplinary action against the anti-trans MP.

“Victoria is on the verge of losing Moira Deeming from the Liberal Party & TPAUS has made a free tool you can use to email all liberal MPs in your electorate,” a message sent by the group on Telegram read.

The post linked to the website of another fringe group run by a conspiracy theory-promoting Christian activist, Turning Point Australia, hosting a page that allowed people to mass email Victorian Liberal MPs with a message of support for Deeming. The same page was circulated in other conspiracy and far-right online spaces.

The webpage listed Overton Solutions as the company behind the tool. Crikey can reveal Overton Solutions is the new brainchild of two former Western Australian Liberal staff who want to provide technology to help right-wing groups and politicians “increase their reach and impact on society”. 

Business records for Overton Solutions & Technology filed with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) show that Overton Solutions is co-owned by Michael John Huston and Emilio Alfonso Garcia (aka Emilio Garcia Cruz). Both are former staff members for former WA Liberal opposition leader David Honey, with Huston serving as chief of staff and Garcia as a social media and communications adviser. Huston has been embroiled in political controversies over accusations of intimidation and concerns about his conduct.

Garcia, who also formerly worked for the Australian Taxpayers Alliance and has repeatedly fundraised for anti-abortion groups on his personal Facebook page, announced the launch of the company last month on LinkedIn.

“G’day everyone. Last week, I founded Overton Solutions, a company that provides online political advocacy services to groups and politicians who promote time-honoured, patriotic, pro-family principles,” he wrote. 

The name “Overton Solutions” is a reference to the Overton Window, a political concept highlighted on the company’s website that means the range of ideas and views on issues that are considered acceptable by the public. 

Beyond providing web design and social media consulting, the website promotes “advocacy software” that it claims will help users mobilise their followers. This includes “PolitiCall Direct” which facilitates followers emailing, tweeting and calling MPs; a “Submission Builder” which creates slightly customised submissions for followers en masse; and “Alert The Press!” which mass-emails media outlets with content from users. 

Overton Solutions tool being used for the Australian Taxpayers Alliance campaign against Labor’s changes to superannuation tax concessions (Image: Overton Solutions, Turning Point Australia)

The company said it provides “clients in Australia, the USA, and other nations”. Beyond the far-right group Turning Point Australia, Crikey also found Overton Solutions’ tools being used by the Australian Taxpayers Alliance for its campaign about Labor’s proposed changes to superannuation tax concessions “Scrap Labor’s Super Tax”. 

Its website makes clear the hope of providing its tools to conservative political forces: “By offering these resources to such groups and politicians, we strive to foster a political environment where the values that have shaped our society continue to thrive.”

Overton Solutions did not respond to emails and text messages for comment.