One Nation candidate for Flinders, Mike Brown, has taken aim at Independent candidate Ben Smith, accusing him of being a “wolf in sheep’s clothing” and claiming he has “sold out to the Teals” through a well-funded campaign backed by Simon Holmes à Court.

In an extended interview with STPL News, Brown alleged that Smith is not a true independent and said he personally witnessed ties to the Climate 200-backed movement.

“Ben Smith is definitely standing for the Teals. He’s got Simon Holmes à Court providing money… I met Simon at one of Ben’s things. I got to talk to Ben and got to talk to Simon and realised there was an agenda.”

“No one gives millions of dollars into a campaign for one person and doesn’t expect a return on investment.”

Brown said he initially thought Smith was a conservative ally but changed his mind after direct interactions.

“I thought he was going to be a support person for Australian families… It’s all bullshit. He’s sold out to the Teals. He’s sold out to Simon.”

“He came to my church”: Smith meeting and fallout

Brown described a private meeting with Smith at his church in Dromana, after declining Smith’s request to visit his home due to his wife’s illness.

“He came to my church. He tried to solicit my preferences… I told him to come through the side door because he was worried about being seen by camera.”

Photos of the meeting later appeared in the media.

“Turns out someone had been spying and taking photos of me and him and it ended up in The Australian. He said I threw him under a bus, which I didn’t.”

Jason Smart “thrown under a bus” by Clive Palmer

Brown also addressed the sudden withdrawal of Trumpet of Patriots candidate Jason Smart, who quit the race after receiving updated preference instructions from party figurehead Clive Palmer, directing support toward Smith.

“We both decided that the things that we personally believed were aligned… Then Friday morning, surprise, surprise, Clive sends him the big bombshell. He said, ‘Mate, I’ve been thrown under a bus.’ I said, ‘Resign, mate.’”

Brown said Smart had intended to preference One Nation second and the Liberals third — a deal Brown says was mutually agreed on prior to the Palmer announcement.

“There’s a reason Jason isn’t a politician – he’s got integrity.”

Palmer and Holmes à Court: “Two sides of the same wrecking ball”

Brown drew direct comparisons between Clive Palmer and Simon Holmes à Court, accusing both men of using wealth to influence Australian politics in favour of their personal agendas.

“He’s just a wrecker. He doesn’t like the Liberal Party… and he’s trying — just the same as Simon Holmes à Court.”

“They’re getting nice guys like Ben… then he gets down the rabbit hole with a million bucks in his debt chamber, and they basically say, ‘You’d better keep going, mate…’”

“When you get to Canberra, they’re going to come calling. Who’s going to call the marker in?”

Brown claimed Palmer has a pattern of abandoning political parties once the election is over.

“He did this with the UAPs… closed it down like two weeks after the election. He’ll do the same with the TOB.”

A campaign based on “honour and integrity”

Brown said his decision to run was rooted in concern for his family and a desire to return “honour” to politics.

“I’ve had to work my butt off ever since I was 16… Now I’m stepping out of my comfort level to take this on, because someone has to do it.”

“I want to see honour, and I don’t want politicians that are just going to take the mickey out of us and try and do side deals with businesses.”

Brown has also provided his updated How to Vote card, reflecting revised preference flows following Smart’s withdrawal from the race.

With Jason Smart gone, and questions now swirling around preference deals and campaign funding, voters in Flinders are left to decide: who’s really standing for the community — and who’s just standing in for someone else?