Executive Summary

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the interconnected phenomena of pseudolaw, cultism, conspirituality, and Indigenous identity fraud in Australia, with a specific focus on their manifestation and impact in the New South Wales (NSW) Central Coast and Sydney regions. The analysis reveals that these movements, while seemingly disparate, frequently converge to pose significant threats to the integrity of the Australian legal system, social cohesion, and, most critically, the legitimate self-determination and cultural authority of Indigenous Australians. Key findings indicate that pseudolaw burdens the courts with frivolous claims, cultic dynamics employ manipulative tactics to exploit vulnerable individuals, and conspirituality provides an ideological framework that often co-opts Indigenous narratives. Indigenous identity fraud, or “pretendianism,” emerges as a particularly insidious form of neocolonial violence, diverting resources, distorting cultural truths, and undermining the statutory roles of legitimate Aboriginal people and organisations, including Local Aboriginal Land Councils. 

The report highlights instances of institutional complicity, particularly within local government and media, which, through uncritical platforming and engagement, inadvertently legitimize fraudulent groups and incur substantial financial and cultural costs. The findings underscore the urgent need for robust verification processes, targeted legal and policy reforms, and increased public education to safeguard Indigenous culture, sovereignty, and broader societal integrity against these evolving threats.