Advance Australia, a hitherto little known conservative right wing organisation, has risen to prominence for attack advertising against candidates including Zali Steggall in Warringah and David Pocock who is challenging Zed Seselja for the ACT's second Senate seat.

In both cases billboards and corflutes have been rolled out alleging Mr Pocock, a former Wallabies and Brumbies star, and Ms Steggall, a former Olympian, were closet Greens and, in Ms Steggall's case, supportive of transgender athletes. Ms Steggall's challenger, Katherine Deves, has become a highly controversial figure after her confrontational and disparaging views about the trans community were publicised.

Advance Australia also commissioned billboards depicting Chinese leader Xi Jinping voting for Labor; the implication being China is actively seeking a Labor victory on May 21.

While these tactics are arguably no more extreme than what we have seen previously during federal and state campaigns, people are entitled to know who is calling the shots and where the money is coming from.

At least when Clive Palmer's United Australia Party puts the boots into the ALP, the LNP or the Greens we know who is paying the piper. The same is largely the case with Climate 200 which is being bankrolled in large part by wealthy businessman and political activist Simon Holmes a Court.

Advance Australia is much more opaque however - despite claims it is completely independent and stands ready to campaign for and against both Coalition and Labor policy decisions.

When Senator Seselja was accused of using Advance Australia as a front after Mr Pocock took umbrage at what he believes is underhanded and deceptive advertising he completely disavowed the organisation.

"As I am not affiliated with Advance Australia in any way I cannot comment on what their arrangements are," he told The Canberra Times this week. "I do support free speech and the right for everyone, including Advance Australia, to participate in the democratic process."

AA's executive director, Matthew Sheahan, was equally adamant there were no links between the organisation and the Liberals or Senator Seselja: "[we have] no affiliation whatsoever with any other campaign group or any MP or senator".

However, a lengthy ACM investigation into who does what within Advance Australia has revealed numerous links between it and the Liberal Party, or those currently or formally associated with it.

Two key figures, Advance Australia director Vicki Dunne, and former Advance Australia national director, Liz Storer, both have close ties to Senator Seselja and the Liberals. Ms Storer is a former Seselja adviser and Ms Dunne served for years alongside the senator when they were both Liberal members of the ACT Legislative Assembly.

The connections don't stop there. Jacinta Price, a Country Liberal senate candidate in the Northern Territory, was an official Advance Australia spokesperson until earlier this month. And the list goes on and on.

The bottom line is people are sick and tired of secret donations, back-room deals, pork barrelling and all the other ethically dubious actions that are now synonymous with the electoral process.

Whoever wins office next month needs to commit to implementing an integrity commission with the power to hold thorough investigations and truth in electoral advertising legislation with teeth.

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