Call for election volunteer cap following Nazi abuse allegations

A Brisbane City councillor has detailed shocking allegations of abuse at election polling booths including children being called Nazis, prompting calls for a volunteer cap at voting locations.

A fed-up Brisbane City councillor is calling on the state government to implement a cap on volunteers at election polling booths following shocking allegations of abuse including children being called Nazis.

Councillor for Coorparoo Fiona Cunningham has issued a plea for better regulation of polling booths after she was allegedly verbally and physically attacked by Greens’ volunteers while campaigning during the 2024 council elections.

The call comes after a separate disturbing incident where the councillor’s Coorparoo ward office window was shattered just two days before the election, believed to have been caused by ball bearings fired from a paint gun.

Cr Cunningham, who has served in council for five years, described the shooting as a targeted act of aggression.

“Clearly, someone intended to send me a message,” she said.

The shattered window of Fiona Cunningham’s office.

The shooting occurred two days before to the council election.

The councillor said she “lost count” of the number of times she was verbally abused at a polling station, citing verbal and physical abuse allegedly perpetrated by Greens’ volunteers.

“On one occasion, things got physical when a Greens volunteer shoved me,” she said.

“One friend told me how a Greens volunteer called her children ‘little Nazis’.”

Labor Councillor for Morningside Lucy Collier raised similar concerns on social media, questioning the behaviour of Queensland Greens workers and recounting instances of intimidation she experienced during the campaign.

A Greens’ source called the accusations baseless, labelling them a “Trumpian attack”.

“The LNP spent $2 million to run a smear campaign against the Greens, mostly in the last weeks of the election accusing our candidates of things they had never said and never done,” they said.

“It is not surprising that they have continued these evidence-free Trumpian attacks after the election.”

Cr Cunningham has now called on the state government to undertake reforms that would allow the Electoral Commission of Queensland to better regulate polling stations.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner with Cr Fiona Cunningham. Picture: Steve Pohlner

She suggested a “simple” solution would be to cap the number of volunteers to two per party at polling booths at any given time.

“No more having volunteers shove pieces of paper at you and attempt to cajole you into voting a certain way,” she said.

“How-to-vote cards could simply be stuck to all the electoral commission’s cardboard voting boxes.”

The Greens’ slammed the proposal, accusing the LNP councillor of attempting to limit support for minor political parties.

“Without the LNP’s big corporate donors, the Greens and other outside challengers rely on local residents volunteering their time,” the Greens’ source said.

“The LNP has seen the groundswell of volunteer support for the Greens, and their first response is trying to ban local residents from having a voice.”

Queensland Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath said the alleged behaviour was “deeply concerning and completely unacceptable,” but capping volunteer numbers or restriction canvassing were not currently being considered by government.

“It is incumbent upon all candidates and parties to ensure their campaigners act appropriately,” she said.

“The Miles Government will always take on board feedback from election participants, however the capping of volunteer numbers, or restrictions to canvassing are not currently under active consideration.”

Police investigations into the office window shooting are ongoing and allegations of abuse and harassment at polling booths have been reported to the Queensland Electoral Commission.