In an alarming campaign development, an economist has had his home targeted and “egged” by left-wing activists angry about independent analysis on the cost of Labor’s new emissions policies.

The attack on noted independent economist Brian Fisher occurred after GetUp and Greens supporter Simon Holmes a Court put the home address of Mr Fisher on Twitter and Bill Shorten likened him to “doctors that big tobacco companies used to roll out in the 70s and 80s”.

Mr Fisher is the Managing Director of respected firm BAEconomics and has worked as a bureaucrat for both Labor and Coalition governments for 25 years.

His most recent analysis showed the cumulative loss to gross national product up to 2030 under Labor’s plan could be as high as $542 billion if international carbon permits are capped at 25 per cent, as the Greens have demanded.

“This is a particularly nasty form of intimidation from the left, and it builds on other harassment Mr Fisher received when his original economic modelling of both Labor and the Coalition’s climate policies was released back in March,” National Director of Advance Australia Gerard Benedet said.

“This sort of behaviour is designed to silence people. To target an economist at his home because you don’t like his economic modelling is really taking political intimidation to a new low. This guy is not a political player, he wasn’t commissioned by a political party for his work – he’s an expert with an interest in this field who is concerned about our national economy.”

Mr Benedet said that noted left-wing supporter Simon Holmes a Court should apologise for his tweet and call off the “radical attack dogs”.

“Simon Holmes a Court in this case is just the public face of the radical left.  He regularly supports GetUp campaigns, he’s listed as a donor on the Australian Greens website, and is reported to be a backer of various independent candidates in this election – including Zali Steggall in Warringah - because of their stance on climate change,” Mr Benedet said.

“The fact is, he’s got a vested interest in Labor’s renewable push as founder of Hepburn Wind – a renewable energy company.  As with many of these activists who claim their moral superiority on the issue of climate change, he stands to make money out of further government subsidies of the sector.”

Mr Benedet said the unwillingness of Labor and the left to even discuss the potential cost of their plan to push renewables to 45% and have electric vehicles make up 50% of all cars sold by 2030 revealed the real risk to the hip pockets of mainstream Australians.

“That the left have to resort to thuggery to stop debate on this policy is an indication of the enormous impact it will have on mainstream Australians.  The reason they don’t want people to know the cost is because it will be massive and if people know the cost, they just won’t vote for it.”

“The powerful and cashed up left-wing forces are very determined to stifle debate and this is what mainstream Australians are up against at this election.  A Labor win will be a victory for thuggery, intimidation and radicalism.”