Former Liberal staffer sacked over ‘racist’ social media post is spotted near Peter Dutton
An ex-Liberal staffer who was sacked over a series of “racist” social media posts has been seen laughing alongside key party figures in two different elections.
Barclay McGain, 23, was fired from his role as electorate officer for former federal MP Andrew Laming in 2020 after a social media post came to light showing him grinning with a racially offensive figurine.
Six months later, he went back to work for Mr. Laming, but was publicly criticized the following year when he dressed up as acquitted US gunman Kyle Rittenhouse for a Halloween party – using the hashtag #NotGuilty.
Rittenhouse shot three people, two killed, with an AR-15 during Black Lives Matter riots in Kenosha, Wisconsin in August 2020 after a white police officer shot a black man.
The Prime Minister’s office at the time condemned the costume as “completely inappropriate.”
Despite the backlash, Mr McGain has managed to maintain his position within the coalition, flying the interstate twice in the past two weeks to support the Liberal Party in two elections, both of which were lost to Labour.
He was pictured last week alongside former NSW Prime Minister Dominic Perrottet holding drinks alongside Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton on Saturday.
Barclay McGain is pictured holding a beer as he stands next to Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, centre, at a Liberal Party by-election function in Melbourne on Saturday
Barclay McGain is pictured at center, watching a fellow Liberal campaigner shake hands with former NSW Prime Minister Dominic Perrotter, who lost the state election last weekend
Mr McGain was photographed handing out voting cards in Riverstone before the Liberals lost the seat in the NSW state election on March 25.
He also hailed Mr Perrottet in the hours before the then Prime Minister was forced to give in to Labour’s Chris Minns.
The controversial former staffer then traveled to Melbourne to support the Liberal party in Saturday’s Aston by-election, and was pictured handing out flyers.
According to a Facebook post, he was “trying to save Aston’s quiet Australians from Anthony Albanese’s brand of rabid socialism.”
Hours later, the Liberal Party suffered a historic defeat. It was the first time in more than 100 years that an opposition party lost a seat to the government in a by-election.
Later that evening, he stood next to federal opposition leader Peter Dutton at a Liberal rally in Melbourne – wearing a blue campaign shirt and holding a drink.
Daily Mail Australia does not suggest that Mr Perrottet and Mr Dutton are in any way closely associated with Mr McGain, or that they share his views.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Mr McGain and the Liberal Party for comment.
Barclay McGain (pictured) dressed as American gunman Kyle Rittenhouse for a Halloween party
Kyle Rittenhouse is pictured minutes before shooting three people, two dead, during Black Lives Matter protests in the US city of Kenosha, Wisconsin in August 2020
Mr McGain first made headlines during Schoolies in 2019 when he uploaded a video of him interviewing school leavers on the Gold Coast about whether the Australian flag and national anthem should be kept or changed to better recognize First Nations people.
He laughed when one person replied, “We need to stop celebrating a culture that can’t even invent the damn wheel… We need to start enjoying and living in Western culture.”
He was subsequently fired in June 2020 when two offensive social media posts were unearthed.
One was a Snapchat he sent to friends and family showing him holding a piggy bank with a photo of an indigenous person with exaggerated facial features.
The other was a Facebook post in which he called suspended student Drew Pavlou “Mein Führer” – German for my leader – next to an altered video of a scene with Adolf Hitler in the movie Downfall.
Mr Laming’s office confirmed that they had rehired him in March 2021.
“(His) impressive knowledge and young networks are something very important for politicians,” Laming told Sky News at the time.
In November 2021, he was criticized for dressing up as an acquitted American gunman, Kyle Rittenhouse.
Barclay McGain is still involved in the Liberal Party. Pictured is handing out ‘how to vote’ cards in Melbourne over the weekend
Barclay McGain is pictured second from left, in Sydney for the NSW state election – which the Liberal Party lost
Rittenhouse armed himself with an AR-15-style rifle and roamed the streets as part of a “militia” that claimed they were protecting businesses after far-right groups called on people to break curfews and take to the streets.
He shot Joseph Rosenbaum who was previously filmed taunting gunmen.
A mob of a dozen people then gave chase and after tripping and falling to the ground, he shot and killed Anthony Huber and shot and wounded Gaige Grosskreautz who was chasing him.
A jury found he acted in self-defense when he shot the protesters in a verdict that has deeply divided America. He was acquitted of five counts, including first-degree manslaughter.
At the time, Mr McGain said he was ‘not particularly concerned’ that the suit would harm his job, as it was outside working hours, on a private balcony, and Rittenhouse had been found not guilty.
“I thought it was current. He was just found innocent, and you know, like any Halloween costume, I think you’re trying to excite people, entertain people,” he said.
The suit was “not necessarily an endorsement or condemnation,” the former political aide added.