Election signs of minor Durack candidates vandalised on Phelps St amid accusations it was a targeted attack

Election signs for two Durack candidates have been vandalised on a popular Geraldton street, with the minor parties claiming it is a targeted attack. With less than a week to go before polling day, campaign signs belonging to the Great Australian Party and United Australia Party were torn apart on Phelps Street, with Labor candidate Jeremiah Riley’s signs untouched just centimetres away. Great Australia Party candidate Adrian McRae said politics was a dirty game, and was disappointed the material was slashed. “I’m not going to accuse someone of paying anyone to do this, but it’s unusual someone would go and slash minors and leave the majors,” he said. Mr McRae believed the minor parties stood for important issues which contributed to an emotional election, and it was disappointing they were not able to share the same space as the major parties. “I don’t want to jump into conspiratorial theories and blame who it was,” he said. Labor campaign manager Sandra Carr said Labor welcomed democracy and respected people’s rights to display signage, and it was disappointing that minor parties would blame major parties. “We have far better things to do with our money,” Ms Carr said. “I think they should rethink their use of language.” Ms Carr said Labor encouraged people to leave all signs as they are. “Everyone gets stressed at this time of year, I don’t think everyone is at their best,” she said. “Not everyone conducts themselves as respectfully as we would like them too.” “I encourage people to be respectful throughout the board.” United Australia Party candidate Andrew Middleton said vandalism was unlawful and called whoever was responsible “lowlives”. “But the election is game on and we’re not going to get intimidated,” he said. Mr Middleton said he didn’t understand why the vandals could not express their thoughts in a proactive, democratic way resorting to trashing signs was a waste of energy and resources. He said he was awaiting photographic evidence before contacting police, naming the act as “undemocratic”. Informed Medical Options Party senate candidate Michelle Kinsella said this was her third election and she had not seen anything this disheartening, and as independents, they worked hard to pay for their products. “The two-party system — the people are worried about that,” she said. Geraldton Police officer-in-charge Sen. Sgt Chris Martin said he had seen the damage first-hand but the station was yet to receive any reports to conduct an investigation.