Gareth Hales is the son of the global head of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, which is alleged to have mobilised congregants in their thousands to man polling booths and harass MPs at the 2025 federal election.
The church has repeatedly denied it directed or co-ordinated its members - most of whom don't vote for religious reasons - to campaign, instead saying they volunteered.
Mr Hales had admitted to campaigning for the Liberal Party and encouraging other congregants who were already doing so, but told a parliamentary committee investigating the church's conduct he was acting as a businessman.
"In 2025, I was deeply concerned about the direction the country was heading, particularly the pressures on business," he said during hearings in Canberra on Friday.
"I remain concerned about those very same things ... what I did as an individual was support a change of government and volunteer in the 2025 campaign."
Mr Hales said while driving past a polling booth in Sydney on election day, he noticed "there weren't many boys in blue" and decided to lend a hand.
"I put on a Liberal T-shirt and went there for half an hour and gave out pre-poll cards," he said.
"I might have offered a little bit of encouragement, but in no way do I direct them or control or manage (other church members)."
He visited three more Sydney polling booths that day, but maintained he did not see any harassment or intimidation as has been reported, including by MPs.
The previous month, Mr Hales met then-opposition leader Peter Dutton and a senior adviser at a petrol station, but denied they colluded on ways to disrupt the Liberals' opposing candidates.
"It wasn't magical, mysterious, it was just known that he was going to turn up there because he was giving a speech," he told the MPs and senators.
The Liberal Party's review of the 2025 election labelled the Plymouth Brethren a "support group", which church representatives have said is up to the party to explain.
Mr Hales also unloaded on Sydney Morning Herald journalist Michael Bachelard, who has investigated the Plymouth Brethren's political involvement for years.
"He's been poisonous ... attacking the church, attacking our businesses - it almost seems to be his full-time occupation," he said.
Bachelard has rejected claims of bias, insisting his reporting is fair and accurate.
Earlier the committee heard evidence from Mr Hales's father Bruce, the church's global head, about whether he had directed his sons to campaign for the Liberal party.
"We very, very rarely discuss politics, it's not a big theme," the elder Hales had said.
"I know you think it is, but I think most of your precious committee has got it wrong."
Much of that centred on a sermon Bruce Hales delivered in which he said "Australia needs to be happy again, smiling again", which he is alleged to have relayed on a WhatsApp call to rouse fellow church members.
"We don't then fire up in your election campaigns because of one line he says in his sermon - honestly that is ridiculous," Gareth Hales said, denying he had repeated the phrase.
Questioning of Bruce Hales was likened to the Spanish inquisition by coalition committee members, who accused Labor, Greens and independent inquirers of religious persecution in fiery exchanges.
Those continued during Gareth Hales' grilling, where independent MP Monique Ryan accused Liberal colleague Ben Small of running a "protection racket".
Independent MP Andrew Gee, who earlier described being intimidated at polling places by Brethren members, told Gareth Hales: "I, for one, am not buying what you are selling".
