Qld election: Gregory LNP candidate Sean Dillon tells of ‘assault’ on quiet road

An LNP candidate has told of the moment he was duped into stopping at the side of a quiet rural road and then “physically accosted”, with threats made to his family, by an angry voter.

LNP candidate for Gregory Sean Dillon. Picture: Liam Kidston.

LNP candidate Sean Dillon has told how he was assaulted on a remote road in western Queensland in an incident he’s likened to a political shakedown.

Mr Dillon, campaigning for the conservative party in the state’s largest electorate of Gregory, told 4BC he was lured to the “terrifying” incident before being assaulted and threatened. The Queensland Police Service is investigating the incident. 

Mr Dillon said he was returning home from campaigning in Winton when, 20km from his home, he pulled over to help two people he thought had broken down.

He said one man then “threw me back against the car” and threatened his family.

“I was physically accosted at that point and given some pretty explicit and expressly clear instructions about what they thought around my continued involvement in politics and what I should and shouldn’t do,” Mr Dillon said. 

“They were pretty, pretty clear in that I needed to keep my union-bashing mouth shut and spend more time with the family they know where they are.

“They can get to them before I can.

“It was the last thing that you expect as a political candidate or a politician of any colour.

“You brace yourself for a very strong discourse with people who are not comfortable with your policy position but to experience the physicality of it and the threatening of your family was perhaps next level.” 

Premier Steven Miles said Mr Dillon was his good mate and he was sorry to hear of his experience.

Premier Steven Miles during yesterday’s leaders debate. Picture: Liam Kidston.

“There’s clearly no place for that kind of behavior in our democracy,” he said.

“Sean is a mate of mine, I wouldn’t say that about many LNP candidates, but he’s a good bloke.

“I’m sorry to hear that he’s had those experiences, I’ll reach out to him later in the day, just to just to hear a bit more about it.”

Mr Miles said he had been friends with Mr Dillon for many years during his time as Barcaldine Regional Council Mayor, the pair working closely on the renewable energy zone project together.

Queensland Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said they were taking the allegation “very seriously”.

“It’s a very serious allegation,” Mr Gollschewski said.

“It’s currently a live investigation and we will continue to investigate that, as always we are hopeful we will get a resolution to that and that the appropriate action can be taken.

“Being a public official isn’t an easy gig, we want good people to put their hand up to be in public office at all levels, and they should be treated with respect.

“That’s not what Queensland is about. That kind of alleged threatening behaviour, or any kind of criminal behaviour where another individual is targeted, isn’t acceptable.”