Environment Minister David Speirs accused of “hypocrisy” over election corflutes

A government minister wanting to ban election corflutes has been accused of double standards, after his posters began popping up in front yards in his electorate.

Environment Minister David Speirs is being accused of hypocrisy after publicly admonishing the use of election corflutes on Stobie poles – describing them as unnecessary environmental and visual pollution – while welcoming their presence on private properties.

Election corflutes promoting Mr Speirs as the Liberal candidate for the southern suburbs seat of Black have begun popping up in front yards in his electorate.

Mr Speirs’ office has been providing supporters with old signs from previous elections to display at their properties in the lead up to the March 19 state election.

A David Speirs election corflute on Barramundi Drive, Hallett Cove. Picture: Supplied

The Opposition has accused Mr Speirs of “rank hypocrisy” over the posters while Mr Speirs says the frontyard signs are “entirely consistent” with his stance on corflutes.

It comes after Mr Speirs last month announced he would not be putting up new election posters on Stobie poles, light posts and on roadsides, because he “felt it would be hypocritical” as he had led a ban on single-use plastics and had twice attempted, through legislation, to ban corflutes on public property.

Mr Speirs said his decision was also based on feedback from the community, which told him corflutes were unnecessary and unattractive; they were visual and environmental pollution; and they were a distraction to road users.

Labor’s Treasury spokesman Stephan Mullighan said “every time somebody in the electorate of Black sees a David Speirs corflute it should remind them of his rank hypocrisy”.

An election corflute featuring David Speirs on Perry Barr Rd, Hallett Cove. Picture: Supplied

However, Mr Speirs dismissed the accusation.

“I welcome the support of the general public who choose to put up some of my old corflutes in their front yards,” he said.

“This is entirely consistent with my commitment to my local community to not print any new corflutes this campaign or put up any on public property.”

Mr Speirs also took aim at the Opposition who had “printed thousands of new single-use plastic posters and littered every street with them”.

“The only people guilty of hypocrisy here are Peter Malinauskas and the Labor Party who say they care for the environment but blocked Marshall Liberal Government’s attempt to ban corflutes,” he said.

Mr Speirs vowed to try again to ban election posters if the Liberals win the election.