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Electoral billboards vandalised, ordered removed

Headshot of Geoff Vivian
Geoff VivianThe West Australian
Rob Dines came to work to find his electoral signs had been vandalised.
Camera IconRob Dines came to work to find his electoral signs had been vandalised. Credit: Geoff Vivian/Supplied, Picture: Rob Dines

Geraldton Liberal candidate Rob Dines has released CCTV footage in a bid to catch the culprit who vandalised election signs outside his family business this week.

Mr Dines came to work on Tuesday and found the signs had been vandalised overnight. Ironically, one of the ripped signs made it look like Mr Dines is wearing a face mask.

“On Bayley Street we have got a bunch of cameras, and one of them did pick up a vehicle that pulled into 96 Chapman Road late in the evening,” he said.

“It was disappointing for me but very upsetting for the local supporters.

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“Ultimately they are the ones who paid for it with local donations.

Mr Dines later supplied police with CCTV footage of a hooded figure tearing his posters soon after 11pm on Monday.

Meanwhile Member for Geraldton Ian Blayney has accused Main Roads of “politically driven ... double standards” for asking him to remove electoral signs from private property that were visible from Brand and North West Coastal highways.

Mr Blayney supplied a picture he took on Sunday of Liberal candidate for Roe David Dwyer’s sign on Albany Highway near Williams.

“Note the sign is on the actual road verge, not in a paddock behind a fence,” he said.

“It has steel posts and would be dangerous to a motorcyclist who had to leave the road.

“These signs are all the way down Albany Highway.”

A Main Roads’ email noted “several illegal election signs” placed along Brand Highway and North West Coastal Highway without prior approval.

“As the election has not been declared Main Roads requests that all signage relating to the 2021 State election is removed immediately,” it says.

Main Roads spokesman Dean Roberts said the Wheatbelt office was now aware of the sign Mr Blayney photographed on Albany Highway.

“This has now been removed,” he said.

“The remaining posts will also be removed on Wednesday January 13.”

Mr Roberts said removing election signs from Main Roads’ reserves in the lead-up to general elections was a long-standing practice.

“At the same time, Main Roads reserves the right to remove electoral advertising from private property if it is deemed a major driver distraction,” he said.

Mr Dines said Main Roads had asked him to remove signs along its routes.

“When other candidates were asked to remove their signage I was asked to remove mine as well,” he said.

“The reason they gave was for safety reasons but apparently we can put them up again after the writs are issued.” Writs will be issued on February 3.

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