Riccardo Umberto Guerrino Bosi (born 9 March 1960) is an Australian conservative activist, motivational speaker and a former Australian Army Special Forces lieutenant colonel. He is the founder of the Australia One political party.[1][2]
Riccardo Bosi | |
|---|---|
| Leader of Australia One | |
| Assumed office 5 October 2019 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Riccardo Umberto Guerrino Bosi 9 March 1960 Sydney, Australia |
| Political party | Australia One (2019−present) |
| Other political affiliations | Australian Conservatives (2018−2019) |
Early life
editBosi was born and raised in Sydney. Both of his parents are Italian immigrants to Australia.[2]
Political career and controversies
editBosi 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] They include 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, receiving 3.25% of the vote.[12] He later led a "Riccardo Bosi" ticket at the Legislative Council at the 2023 New South Wales state election, which received 0.78% of the vote.[13]
Australia One
editAustralia 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] The party has never been registered with any electoral commission at a state or federal level.[14]
Australia One endorsed candidates at the 2022 federal election, 2022 Victorian state election and 2023 New South Wales state election. They included Darren Bergwerf, who has run for the party twice. Bergwerf later founded My Place Australia.[15]
The party ran 18 candidates for the New South Wales Legislative Council at the 2023 New South Wales state election.[1] They received 0.78% of the vote.[13]
Australia One should not be confused with the One Australia Party, which was founded in 1995 and deregistered in 1999.
References
edit- ^ a b "'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". The 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 Marchant, Gabriella (25 October 2021). "Accused COVID breacher Riccardo Bosi calls Adelaide magistrate an 'imbecile' during phone hearing". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
- ^ "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. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 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.
- ^ Whelan, Chloe (26 March 2023). "Conspiracy theorist Australia One party mocked after losing badly in NSW election". news.com.au. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
Mr Bosi and Mr Graham's party — which they call the Australia One party but, since it was never registered, appeared on the ballot as Group U
- ^ Barker, Emily (3 April 2023). "Anti-vax group My Place is pushing to take 'control of council decisions'". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation.