THE Cathy McGowan campaign team has been forced to distance itself from left-leaning activist group GetUp, a week before the July 2 election.
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GetUp has become actively involved in the New England campaign where National Party leader Barnaby Joyce is locked in a tense battle with former independent MP Tony Windsor.
The Australian newspaper reported on Friday GetUp was working under the same roof as grassroots movement, Voices of New England, at Tamworth.
Voices of New England is reportedly copying a similar social media strategy used to unseat Liberal Sophie Mirabella three years ago.
It was formed in early May and claims to represent at least 15,000 voters in New England.
Member groups include New England Climate Action Group, Sustainable Living Armidale and NBN for New England and GetUp New England.
Ms McGowan's campaign manager Phil Haines denied any affiliation.
"Voices for Indi is an independent, unaffiliated community organisation that at the last election endorsed Cathy McGowan as the candidate for Indi," he said.
"Voices of New England has nothing to do with Voices for Indi.
"GetUp has never had any involvement with Cathy, her campaign in 2013 and 2016 or Voices for Indi. "Cathy is a community independent and her volunteers and donors come from the Indi community."
A spokesman for GetUp also distanced the organisation from the 2013 and 2016 campaigns in Indi.
"GetUp has no role in the 2016 election campaign for Indi," he said.
"We had nothing to do with 2013 also, anyone who suggests otherwise is wrong.
"We are running a campaign against extreme right wing members of parliament holding Australia back who could win at the 2016 election and, based on our analysis, there are none of these in Indi."
Mrs Mirabella said there was an undeniable link between Ms McGowan and Mr Windsor.
"Cathy's McGowan's team spoke with Mr Windsor before he burst into the Indi campaign in 2013," she said.
"At the time Cathy was very honoured to have Mr Windsor's support and used his record in the Labor-Greens-Independent government as a reason to vote for her.
"GetUp distributed material supporting Ms McGowan in 2013.
"It is understandable Ms McGowan doesn't want to alienate conservative voters by associating herself with the man who wants to bring down the Nationals leader."
Ms McGowan vehemently denied any link to Mr Windsor at Monday’s Indi election forum in Wangaratta.
