Conspirituality, as first described by Ward and Voas (2011), refers to the fusion of conspiracy theories with New Age spirituality. In Australia, this belief system has taken on a distinct form shaped by colonial history, anti-government sentiment, and the appropriation of Aboriginal language and symbolism. Unlike other countries where conspirituality aligns with evangelical or libertarian movements, in Australia it blends wellness culture, settler spiritualism, and resistance to state authority, often reinterpreting collective Indigenous sovereignty as an individual spiritual entitlement.
The COVID-19 pandemic acted as a catalyst. Influencers like Pete Evans and Taylor Winterstein popularised ideas of bodily sovereignty, natural immunity, and institutional distrust through online platforms. These ideas were rapidly spread via social media algorithms, transforming conspirituality from fringe discourse into a mainstream subculture. This movement is reinforced by charismatic figures, aesthetically curated content, and emotionally driven communities that reward belief over evidence.
The wellness industry is central to this phenomenon. Valued at over $4.5 trillion globally, it markets self-empowerment and holistic health while offering fertile ground for conspiratorial thinking. In Australia, wellness trends such as regenerative healing, sleep optimisation, and anti-technology living are often co-opted by conspiritual actors who link personal wellbeing to anti-science and anti-government ideologies. Influencers monetise fear and crisis, creating a “grift economy” where health, spirituality, and resistance are sold as lifestyle products.
This commercialisation has political consequences. Conspiritual figures have disrupted land rights processes, opposed vaccination, and spread misinformation about Aboriginal sovereignty. Events like the Muckudda Camp and the burning of Old Parliament House show how Indigenous motifs such as fire ceremony or custodianship are hijacked to promote settler-centric, pseudo-legal beliefs. As Taplin (2023) and Moreton-Robinson (2015) argue, this is a new form of settler colonialism—what some call epistemic dispossession—where settler actors simulate Aboriginal authority to undermine legitimate governance.
Conspirituality also exhibits cultic characteristics. Drawing on Lalich’s (2004) and Hassan’s (2016) frameworks, these movements rely on high emotional control, black-and-white thinking, charismatic leadership, and closed information systems. In regional Australia, where media literacy is often low and social media is a primary news source, conspirituality has taken hold rapidly. Influencers like Jake Cassar and Darren Bergwerf market spiritual rebellion while monetising land, identity, and distrust.
Artificial intelligence now amplifies these dynamics. AI-generated deepfakes of Elders, synthetic Dreaming stories, and fake documents circulate online, simulating Aboriginal authority and confusing the public. Kolopenuk (2023) describes this as algorithmic colonialism: the datafied replication of Indigenous knowledge for settler benefit. These tools allow disinformation to spread faster, often without human oversight, further eroding cultural legitimacy and democratic discourse.
To resist these harms, the paper outlines six key strategies:
- Digital sovereignty: Empower Indigenous communities to control how their data, stories, and cultural content are used online.
- Platform accountability: Legally require social media companies to moderate cultural disinformation and provide escalation tools to Indigenous organisations.
- Public education: Launch literacy campaigns and embed conspiracy literacy across school curricula.
- Support for cult recovery: Offer trauma-informed counselling for those exiting high-control belief systems.
- Legal reform: Strengthen laws against Indigenous identity fraud and co-design identity verification with Aboriginal communities.
- Cultural resurgence: Fund Aboriginal-led storytelling, digital media, and wellness platforms that promote relational, reciprocal knowledge systems.
In conclusion, conspirituality in Australia is not just a cultural fad but an organised system of belief, economy, and misinformation that appropriates Aboriginal identity and disrupts democratic and cultural integrity. Combating it requires coordinated, Indigenous-led strategies that prioritise truth-telling, protocol, and sovereignty over performance, profit, or paranoia.
Bungaree.org 
Leave a comment